Despite Trump’s Absence, Plenty of Fireworks at First Republican Presidential Debate of the 2024 Season

For those who thought a Trump-less GOP presidential primary debate was doomed to be a snooze fest, the two-hour political bar brawl disabused them of that notion.

The first Republican National Committee debate Wednesday night in Milwaukee proved to be a tinder box for the slate of candidates trailing former President Donald Trump by as much as 40 percentage points or more.

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Governor Mike DeWine Says Marijuana Legalization in Ohio Would Be a ‘Mistake’

Governor Mike DeWine says that it would be a mistake if Ohioans passed a November ballot measure to legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

The proposed initiative for the November ballot submitted by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol aims to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products, permit adults to grow up to six plants per person or 12 per household, and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

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Ohio Republican Calls on State Colleges to Resist Any Potential COVID Mandates

Ohio Republican businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate Bernie Moreno called on Ohio colleges, universities, and businesses to resist any effort by the federal government to reinstate any COVID-19-related mandates.

This follows movie studio Lionsgate in Santa Monica, Rutgers University in New Jersey, Georgetown University in Washington DC, and Morris Brown College in Atlanta announcing they are reinstating mask mandates due to reported COVID-19 cases.
This follows movie studio Lionsgate in Santa Monica as well as Rutgers University in New Jersey, Georgetown University in Washington DC, and Morris Brown College in Atlanta announcing they are reinstating mask mandates due to reported COVID-19 cases.

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GOP Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Rallies in Milwaukee Night Before First Republican Primary Debate

With just 24 hours to go before the first Republican presidential primary debate of the 2024 campaign, Ohio entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy spent Tuesday evening as he has spent almost every waking hour since launching his bid for the White House in February: Campaigning.

Ramaswamy held a high-energy rally at downtown Milwaukee’s beer garden, just feet away from the Fiserv Forum, home of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and site of Wednesday evening’s debate.

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Abortion Activists Submit Proposed Ballot Language for November Amendment to Ohio Ballot Board

A coalition of pro-abortion activists on Monday submitted proposed ballot language to the Ohio Ballot Board for consideration on a proposed amendment for the November ballot that would enshrine abortion into the state Constitution.

The Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of radical pro–abortion activists that includes Planned Parenthood, Pro–Choice Ohio, the Abortion Fund of Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, along with the Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights has proposed “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety” which would add a Section 22 to Article 1 of the state Constitution.
The Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of radical pro–abortion activists that includes Planned Parenthood, Pro–Choice Ohio, the Abortion Fund of Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, along with the Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights has proposed “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety” which would add a Section 22 to Article 1 of the state Constitution.

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Conservative Firebrand Kari Lake Plans to Serve as a Surrogate for Trump at Wednesday’s GOP Presidential Candidates’ Debate

Arizona Republican Gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake will be in attendance at Wednesday’s first Republican presidential candidates’ debate in Milwaukee, and she plans to speak up for an absent former President Donald Trump.

Lake, a close Trump ally, tells The Star News Network that she will do everything in her power to return the former president to the White House.

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New Des Moines Register/NBC News Poll Shows Trump Well Ahead In Iowa, but Trump Pollster Says Lead Is Likely Bigger

A new poll of likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers shows former President Donald Trump with a significant lead over his closest competitor in the crowded field of GOP presidential nominee combatants.

But Trump’s pollster says the Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll appears to undercut wider support of the former president in the Hawkeye State by significant sampling of independents and former Democratic Party caucusgoers.

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Ohio Attorney General Rejects Fourth Petition to End Qualified Immunity for Government Employees

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost rejected a petition which aims to amend the state constitution by ending qualified immunity for state workers claiming that the language contains omissions and misstatements that would mislead a potential petition signer.

The amendment, submitted by The Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity, aiming for the November 2024 presidential election, looks to add a Section 22 to Article I of the Ohio Constitution in order to end qualified immunity being used to protect state employees, including but not limited to law enforcement officers, against civil lawsuits.

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Ohio Secretary of State Certifies Marijuana Legalization Initiative for November Ballot

The Ohio Secretary of State’s office has certified that the additional signatures submitted by a coalition of marijuana legalization activists who want to legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older qualifies them for the November ballot.

The proposed initiative submitted by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol aims to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products, permit adults to grow up to six plants per person or 12 per household, and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

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Ohio Republican Bill Aims to Allow Schools to Administer Expulsions for Dangerous Students as They See Fit

Two Republican Ohio state representatives have introduced legislation to allow school superintendents to administer expulsions for dangerous students in their districts as they see fit.

House Bill (HB) 206, sponsored by State Representatives Monica Robb Blasdel (R-Columbiana County) and Gary Click (R-Vickery), looks to allow schools greater flexibility for expulsions under Ohio law and to create re-entry plans to protect both students and staff.

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Ohio Coalition Forms in Opposition to November Adult-Use Marijuana Ballot Initiative

A broad coalition of Ohio leaders has joined together in order to defeat an attempt by marijuana legalization activists to put an initiative to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older on the ballot in November.

The initial coalition represents respected leaders across children’s health care, business, veterans, and law enforcement institutions including Ohio Children’s Hospital Association, Ohio Adolescent Health Association, Buckeye Sheriffs Association, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, Ohio Veterans First, Veterans Court Watch, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, State Senator Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario), Former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, Phillips Tube Group CEO Angela Phillips, and Smart Approaches to Marijuana CEO Kevin A. Sabet Ph.D.

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Ohio Republican Bill Aims to Stop Colleges from Reducing Financial Aid Awards

A Republican Ohio House Representative introduced legislation to stop a college or university from reducing financial aid if a person receives a private scholarship.

House Bill (HB) 98, sponsored by State Representative Monica Robb Blasdel (R-Columbiana County), aims to stop scholarship displacement and ensure Ohio college students effectively receive the assistance they have earned through private scholarships.

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Cuyahoga County GOP Applauds Governor DeWine for Taking Action to Curb Cleveland’s Crime Surge

The Cuyahoga County Republican Party applauded Governor Mike DeWine for taking decisive action to curb Cleveland’s crime surge as Democratic Mayor Justin Bibb “fails to protect the city.”

According to Cuyahoga County GOP Chairman Lisa Stickan, DeWine understands the importance of law and order in Cleveland and applauds him for sending state resources to assist the police department.

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Conservative Political Commentator Tucker Carlson to Headline Ohio Christian Fundraiser

Conservative political commentator, writer, and television personality Tucker Carlson will deliver the keynote address at a gala fundraiser thrown by the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) in Cleveland, Ohio, next month.

The Cleveland Celebration Gala for the Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, will take place at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower, on September 21st. According to the Center for Christian Virtue, it will be an evening of music, inspiration, and fellowship. 

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Ohio Appeals Court Upholds Preemption Firearms Laws

The Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals ruled to uphold state law on firearms uniformity overturning a ruling by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Stephen McIntosh who previously granted an injunction to the city of Columbus blocking the state of Ohio from enforcing “preemption” firearms laws.

According to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the court’s ruling is a win for the state of Ohio.

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Ohio Republican Senate Candidate Calls for Immediate Action Following ‘Bogus’ Trump Indictment

Bernie Moreno, who is running for an Ohio Senate seat, said Tuesday that another indictment against former President Donald Trump is completely “bogus” and called for House and Senate Republicans to take immediate action against President Joe Biden and his left-wing allies.

This follows a Georgia grand jury approving 10 indictments on Monday night in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ election probe, including Trump and 18 others.

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U.S. Senator JD Vance Frustrated by Pace of East Palestine Derailment Cleanup

U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) is frustrated by the slow pace of cleanup from Norfolk Southern’s February train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.

Vance visited the derailment site and met with local leaders to discuss the cleanup status on Monday evening. According to Vance, the cleanup was supposed to be completed in July but now in the middle of August, it’s still nowhere near completion.

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GOP Presidential Candidate Tim Scott Talks Border, Biden, and Barbecue with Governor Kim Reynolds at Iowa State Fair

Rising in the Hawkeye State polls, U.S. Senator Tim Scott did the Iowa State Fair Tuesday, rediscovering the sweet joys of funnel cake and sitting down with Governor Kim Reynolds for a “Fair-Side Chat.”

The top tier contestant for the Republican Party presidential nomination and proud South Carolinian also made a confession that could cause him some heartburn in the Palmetto State.

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Ohio GOP Congressman Apologizes After Condemning Christian for ‘Bigoted’ Post

Ohio Republican Rep. Max Miller on Tuesday issued an apology after a heated Twitter exchange in which he appeared to condemn an activist in hist state for expressing a basic statement of her Christian faith.

“I posted something earlier that conveyed a message I did not intend. I will not try to hide my mistake or run from it. I sincerely apologize to Lizzie and to everyone who read my post,” Miller stated. He did not clarify what his intended message was.

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U.S. Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno Announces County Captains in Over 50 Ohio Counties

On Monday, Republican businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate Bernie Moreno announced county captains in over 50 counties across Ohio in his campaign for the U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.

According to a press release e-mailed to reporters, these county captains will help implement Moreno’s campaign strategy in each of the 50 counties represented and will serve as a hub of operations.

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Ohio Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit to Block Abortion Amendment from November Ballot

The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a lawsuit filed by a group of pro-life advocates requesting that they block a proposal that aims to enshrine abortion into the state constitution from the November ballot.

All of the seven Supreme Court justices dismissed the lawsuit brought by former state Representative Tom Brinkman from Cincinnati and former legislative candidate Jennifer Giroux who say that that the Ohio Supreme Court should block the proposal as the submitted signature petitions to get on the ballot fails to specify which state laws would need to be abolished if voters approved the constitutional amendment.

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Ohio Coalition Resubmits Petition to End Qualified Immunity for Government Employees

A group of Ohioans wants to try yet again to change the state’s Constitution to permit lawsuits against government employees.

The amendment, aiming for the November 2024 presidential election, looks to add a Section 22 to Article I of the Ohio Constitution in order to end qualified immunity being used to protect state employees, including but not limited to law enforcement officers, against civil lawsuits.

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Ohio Republican Bill Aims for Schools to Excuse 4-H and FFA Absences

Two Republican Ohio state representatives introduced legislation to allow students to attend extracurricular activities during and after their time in school.

House Bill (HB) 135, sponsored by State Representatives Rodney Creech (pictured above, right) (R-West Alexandria) and Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) (pictured above, left), looks to require excused absences from schools for 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) activities.

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Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Require Schools to Get Parental Permission to Administer Over-the-Counter Medications

Two Republican Ohio lawmakers have introduced a bill into the Ohio House of Representatives to require local school districts to include over-the-counter medications in their school medication policies.

House Bill (HB) 70, sponsored by State Representatives Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) and Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester), looks to patch an oversight in existing policies by requiring every school to request parental permission before administering over-the-counter medications to children.

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Ohio Supreme Court Sets Date to Hear Arguments in ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Ban Case

The Ohio Supreme Court announced on Thursday it set a hearing date for oral arguments in a case challenging a Hamilton County judge’s decision to put Ohio’s Heartbeat abortion ban on hold.

Ohio’s highest court will hear 15-minute arguments from both sides on the case on September 27th, almost a year after Democratic Hamilton County Judge Christian Jenkins issued a preliminary injunction that put the Heartbeat Law on hold while he considers arguments in a lawsuit filed by pro-abortion activists.

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Norfolk Southern Agrees to Enhance Safety Measures at East Palestine Derailment Site

Norfolk Southern has agreed to enhance safety measures for workers cleaning up the site of its February derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that the rail giant entered into an agreement with the federal government and the Teamsters’ rail maintenance worker division to enhance working conditions and crew training after federal inspectors discovered the company had broken a number of regulations, including not requiring or enforcing the use of protective gear.

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New Poll Shows Trump Continuing to Dominate GOP Presidential Rivals, Ramaswamy Overtaking DeSantis

A new survey by private polling firm Cygnal finds former President Donald Trump still dominating the GOP presidential primary field, and political outsider Vivek Ramaswamy overtaking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for second place.

Trump leads with 53 percent support, followed by Ramaswamy (11.4%), who has moved ahead of DeSantis (10.4%), according to the poll. The Florida governor has plummeted from 29 percent support in March.

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Pence’s Poke at Ramaswamy’s Youth Raises Age Again as a Campaign Issue

Ohio entrepreneur and GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has taken a lot more flak from his opponents as he rises in the primary polls.

But the political outsider and first millennial to run for the Republican Party presidential nomination is starting to draw fire about his youth — from none other than former Vice President Mike Pence, Ramaswamy’s elder by 26 years.

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Ohio Lawmakers React to the Defeat of Ohio State Issue 1

Following the defeat of Ohio State Issue 1 on Tuesday, Ohio Lawmakers in the House and Senate voiced their opinions.

Issue 1, if approved by voters, would have mandated a 60 percent approval percentage for any future constitutional amendments, call for signatures from all 88 counties, and do away with the opportunity to “cure” petitions by collecting additional signatures if necessary.

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Steubenville Catholic Trade School Forges Ahead Despite Obstacles in Ohio’s Regulatory Hurdles

A Catholic trade college plans to enroll students starting in fall of 2024, but said it continues to train people interested in learning craftsmanship while it works through the regulatory process and other hurdles.

The College of St. Joseph the Worker in Steubenville, Ohio is “shifting the start date back so that we can finish the state approval process,” Alex Renn, the school’s communications director, told The College Fix via email.

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Ohio State Issue 1 Defeated

After a long campaign season for and against Ohio State Issue 1 to raise the threshold to amend the state constitution, voting numbers from county boards of elections are pouring in and being added to the unofficial results on the Ohio Secretary of States Website.

As of 10:00 pm on election day, the trending unofficial outcome is that voters have defeated Ohio State Issue 1.

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Federal Court Dismisses Lawsuit over Bethel School District Transgender Bathroom Policy

A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio dismissed a lawsuit on Monday challenging Bethel Local School District’s policy to permit students to use bathrooms according to their gender identity rather than their biological sex.

The Bethel School board adopted a new policy last January that allowed students to use bathroom facilities according to their gender identity. Before the policy change, transgender students predominantly utilized a gender-neutral bathroom.

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Former Planned Parenthood Director Warns Ohio Parents What Could Happen to Their Daughters if Ballot Amendment Enshrines Abortion in State Constitution

National pro-life leader and former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson spelled out Sunday what could await pregnant teens in Ohio should a proposed constitutional amendment allow them to obtain abortions without parental consent.

Johnson spoke to a large crowd at a Rosary Rally, organized by Catholics for Catholics, to encourage Ohioans to vote “yes” on Issue 1 on Tuesday.

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Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Set to Hold ‘Fair-Side Chats’ with GOP Presidential Candidates; Trump Has His Own Plans

It’s State Fair time in the Hawkeye State, and with a little more than five months before Iowa’s first-in-the- nation primary that means one thing: Presidential candidates galore.

While Thrill Ville still thrills and food on a stick remains cuisine du jour, the Iowa State Fair — as it does every four years — is a showplace for presidential aspirants.

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Bernie Moreno and Kari Lake Rally Ohio Republicans to Vote in Support of Issue 1

On Monday, Republican businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate Bernie Moreno and Arizona Republican politician and former candidate for Arizona Governor Kari Lake rallied Republicans to vote in support of Ohio State Issue on August 8th.

Moreno and Lake attended a county Republican rally in Cleveland in support of Ohio State Issue 1 to raise the threshold to amend the state constitution. They spoke to hundreds of voters at the Get Out the Vote Rise and Shine Rally at the Strongsville GOP in Parma.

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Kari Lake Endorses Republican Businessman Bernie Moreno for U.S. Senate at Ohio GOP Rally

On Sunday, Arizona Republican politician and former candidate for Arizona Governor Kari Lake announced her endorsement for Republican businessman Bernie Moreno in his run for U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.

Lake made the announcement at a county Republican rally north of Columbus that she attended along with Moreno, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and U.S. Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) in support of Ohio State Issue 1 to raise the threshold to amend the state constitution. Lake spoke to about 500 people at the Union County Republican Party Summer Farm Fest in Marysville.

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Bernie Moreno Commentary: The Biden Administration’s Cynical Ploy to Stop Trump Will Not Work

This week, the Biden Department of (in)Justice has, once again, displayed that they will stop at nothing to try to ruin the life and reputation of Donald Trump. It’s a disgrace. It’s a spectacle that belies its purpose: the Left’s palpable fear of facing Trump in the 2024 general election.

Even the numbers bear this out. A poll from Harvard/Harris just last week had President Trump dominating the GOP primary, and beating both Biden and Harris in a head-to-head matchup. Is it any coincidence that this poll proceeded additional bogus legal action from the DOJ?

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