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With NRCC Chair Endorsing Jim Jordan, Will Ohio GOP House Candidates Fall in Line?

Columbus, OH — Today, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson endorsed Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House. With the Chair of their campaign committee endorsing their fellow Ohio Republican, every GOP candidate running for the U.S. House should answer: would you support Jim Jordan for Speaker? 

“With the news that NRCC Chair Hudson – the guy responsible for trying to elect Republicans to the U.S. House – has endorsed Jim Jordan, every Ohio Republican running for the U.S. House should now answer this very simple question: would you support Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House? Serving in Congress means making tough decisions, and Ohio voters deserve to know where these candidates stand,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

Republican candidates running for U.S. House in Ohio include: 

OH-1

Orlando Sonza

OH-9

J.R. Majewski

Craig Riedel

Steve Lankenau

OH-13

Kevin Coughlin

Chris Banweg

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What You Need To Know Before Tomorrow’s First #OHSEN Primary Debate

TO: Interested Parties

FROM: Ohio Democratic Party

Tomorrow, the Ohio Senate Slugfest will come to a head as Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan meet behind closed doors at a country club for their first primary debate. With an already “messy,” and “bruising” battle underway, the in-fighting will continue as each candidate makes clear he is not fighting for Ohioans.

What You’ll See At Tomorrow’s Slugfest Showdown

Expect to hear the Republicans running for Senate attack each other, jockey over Donald Trump, and pledge their support for dangerous abortion bans without exceptions for rape or incest. 

You won’t hear any plans for lowering Ohioans’ prescription drug costs, creating good-paying jobs or protecting Ohioans’ retirement.

Gasoline on the Slugfest Fire

Tomorrow will pour gasoline on the primary, which has already been called one of the “messiest, “most expensive” and “bruising” battles in the country. Here are some of the attacks what Ohioans have seen so far:

Bernie Moreno on Frank LaRose: “We put up with so much bad behavior in politics. The reality is, you just got elected for four years as Secretary of State, you’re running for Senate, that’s part of the problem. Shouldn’t you do the job you just got elected to do?”

Trump-ally Andrew Surabian: “At an Ohio U.S. Senate Forum, Bernie Moreno roasts Frank LaRose over his support for funding Ukraine.”

Frank LaRose’s campaign on Bernie Moreno, after LaRose downplayed the Trump endorsement and refused to endorse the former President in 2016, 2020, and even the first week of his Senate campaign: “President Trump is smart enough not to be conned by a used car salesman into buying a lemon.”

Matt Dolan’s campaign on Bernie Moreno trying to buy Ohio’s Senate seat after promising to not “write [himself] a big fat check:” “Bernie Moreno pledged to Ohioans on numerous occasions that he wouldn’t self-fund his campaign. What’s clear is that the former used car dealer’s credibility is eroding as quickly as his donor support.”

More on the Ohio Senate Slugfest:

  • Daily Beast: Ohio Is Shaping Up to Be the Messiest Senate Primary of 2024
  • NBC: “Ohio’s Senate race next year is expected to be one of the most expensive in the country. It will start with what already has the makings of a messy, Trump-influenced primary…”
  • The Messenger: Another competitive and expensive GOP primary is brewing in the Buckeye State

What You Need To Know About The Field

Bernie Moreno is a mega millionaire worth over a hundred million dollars and bought himself luxury homes in places like New York, Florida and the Bahamas. 

Moreno has repeatedly received Trump’s praise and also has the endorsement of J.D. Vance – Trump’s handpicked Senator from Ohio. Last month, Moreno followed Trump and called for a government shutdown, which would have forced nearly 53,000 Ohioans to either be furloughed or work without pay. Moreno said he is “unequivocally pro-life,” supports a national abortion ban, and does not support exceptions for rape, incest, or life of the mother. 

Frank LaRose isn’t working for Ohio and will do whatever it takes to support his own political ambitions. Since becoming Ohio’s biggest loser when his amendment designed to silence Ohioans and benefit special interests failed in August, LaRose has faced scandal after scandal – most recently for wasting $600,000 in taxpayer funds to move his official office to his campaign headquarters and reports that he is “laser focused” on his Senate campaign while his official office is “plagued” by turnover. 

LaRose, who downplayed the Trump endorsement earlier this year, is facing attacks from his opponents, Trump’s allies, and Ohio grassroots activists for “twisting himself up” to outrun his critical comments –  including that the former President is “racist,” “disgusting,” and “not a role model for children.” Frank LaRose also supports a national abortion ban, opposes exceptions for rape or incest, and is trying to silence and mislead Ohioans by rewriting the November ballot language. 

Matt Dolan is trying to buy Ohio’s Senate seat. Dolan has already self-funded $7 million this cycle and is bankrolling his campaign with a “cheap loan” and sweetheart deal only available to the “super wealthy.” Dolan was recently caught slamming his opponents and Donald Trump, saying whoever has the Trump endorsement will eventually lose. Dolan supports banning abortion and has said that defeating the November amendment – which would overturn Ohio’s current dangerous ban with no exceptions for rape or incest – is a “priority.” 

The Bottom Line

With less than six months left in the primary, this slugfest is only getting nastier as it becomes crystal clear that none of the Republicans running for Ohio’s Senate seat are fighting for Ohioans. 

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SLUGFEST SHOWDOWN: 2 Days Until First #OHSEN Primary Debate 

As The Showdown Approaches, Here’s The #OHSEN Slugfest’s Top 10 

Columbus, OH – With 2 days left until Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan meet behind closed doors at a country club for their first field-wide primary debate, we’re revisiting their top ten messiest and bruising slugfest moments. As the showdown approaches, it’s crystal clear no candidate in this field is fighting for Ohioans.

The #OHSEN Slugfest’s Top 10:

1. Frank LaRose becomes Ohio’s biggest loser after an August amendment designed to silence Ohioans  – which LaRose made himself the face of – flopped.

The Messenger: “The biggest loser in the fight over this issue is Secretary of State Frank LaRose.”

Cleveland.com: “For Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the father of Issue 1, the damage may prove irreparable. The man charged with administering Ohio elections, now a candidate for the U.S. Senate, wasted about $16 million of our money in an attempt to disembowel participatory democracy. Some political humiliations last forever.”

The Columbus Dispatch: “LaRose is barreling into the 2024 U.S. Senate primary with the cloud of Issue 1 above his head.”

2. Bernie Moreno calls for a government shutdown, despite the significant impact a shutdown would have on Ohioans – including forcing nearly 53,000 Ohioans to either be furloughed or work without pay. 

3. Frank LaRose forces Ohioans to foot his $600,000 bill to move the official Secretary of State office to his campaign HQ, refuses to answer questions about wasting taxpayer dollars despite calls from Ohioans, state lawmakers, and media outlets. 

WATCH MORE FROM WSYX

Toledo Blade: “Ohio Secretary of State’s offenses pile up

Ohio Capital Journal: “Ohio Sec. of State LaRose’s office move amid U.S. Senate candidacy raises ethical questions”

4. After saying months earlier he wouldn’t “write [himself] a big fat check,” Bernie Moreno decides after all to try to buy Ohio’s Senate seat. Then, Matt Dolan – who has already self-funded $7 million this cycle – attacked Moreno and escalated the slugfest.

The Messenger: “However, the Dolan campaign is taking aim at Moreno and highlighting his past comments that he wouldn’t self-fund his campaign. This quarter, Moreno loaned his campaign $3 million.”

Bernie Moreno months before he wrote himself a $3 million check: “I won’t do what my opponent’s doing. I will not – well first of all, it’s my money vs. his family’s money, big difference by the way. But I’m not going to take personal wealth and buy a Senate seat. It’s not good for democracy.”

5. A bombshell report outlines that the Secretary of State’s office is in disarray and is “plagued” by turnover as LaRose’s “sole-focus” becomes his campaign for Senate – the latest example of LaRose continuously putting his political ambitions ahead of Ohioans and the job he was elected to do.

Columbus Dispatch: “In recent months, a dozen officials in LaRose’s office who handled elections, communications and other duties have left, taking with them years of experience in running Ohio’s elections. But the staffing problems extend even further, leading to delays and communication problems with local boards of elections… Three other former employees say the source of these problems is management laser-focused on electing LaRose as Ohio’s next U.S. senator and unwilling to listen to seasoned election experts.”

6. The entire #OHSEN field supports dangerous abortion bans – including bans without exceptions for rape or incest.

Bernie Moreno: “I’m 100 percent pro-life with no exceptions.”

Frank LaRose: “I’m pro-life and if a pro-life measure comes before the Senate, then I would vote as a pro-life American.”

Matt Dolan on Roe v Wade being overturned: “As a pro-life… person, it is exciting.”

7. Matt Dolan was exposed for using a “cheap loan” and too-good-to-be-true sweetheart deal to bankroll his Senate campaign days after a report showed Dolan is using his PAC to funnel money to his campaign consultants instead of supporting Republican candidates as he promised.

Cleveland.com: “The Morgan Stanley financing speaks to some of the financial gateways available to wealthy politicians but closed to most of the constituents they represent.”

The Columbus Dispatch: “But more than one year after its launch, Ohio Matters has spent more money on Dolan’s campaign consultants than candidates. And Dolan, who’s part of the wealthy family that owns the Cleveland Guardians, never made the personal contribution he promised when the PAC kicked off.”

WATCH MORE FROM SPECTRUM NEWS

8. Frank LaRose rewrites the ballot language for the November amendment, which would overturn Ohio’s current restrictive abortion ban without exceptions for rape or incest, to mislead and trick Ohioans. LaRose also admits he would overrule Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban.

WXVU: “Now, the Republican majority of his five-member Ohio Ballot Board — chaired by LaRose and tasked with the job of approving ballot language — stands accused of trying to stack the deck against the abortion rights amendment by inserting what abortion rights groups call misleading, inaccurate and inflammatory language into what should be a simple statement of fact.”

Ohio Capital Journal: “Frank LaRose, the public servant responsible for conducting free and fair elections in Ohio is playing dirty to win. It’s wrong.”

WATCH LAROSE ADMIT HE WOULD OVERRULE OHIOANS ON MEET THE PRESS

9. After LaRose sparked chaos by calling on his primary opponents to financially support the August amendment, Bernie Moreno poured gasoline on the infighting in the Ohio Senate slugfest by blaming LaRose for the August amendment’s flop and admitting it was “100%” about abortion.

Bernie Moreno: “The one thing I would knock Frank on is that he said it’s ‘100% about abortion’ which has screwed up the messaging. It’s 100% about protecting the constitution.”

10. While making himself the face of the August amendment, Frank LaRose made a series of costly mistakes, including sending the wrong ballot language to all 88 county Boards of Elections days before the deadline to send absentee ballots overseas.

Cleveland.com: “Some elections officials estimated the mistake could cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

WATCH MORE FROM WCMH

FIND SLUGFEST SHOWDOWN DETAILS HERE

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SLUGFEST SHOWDOWN: 3 Days Until First #OHSEN Primary Debate 

Columbus, OH – This Saturday, the Ohio Senate Slugfest is coming to Medina as Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan meet behind closed doors at a country club for their first field-wide primary debate. With an already “bloody,” “messy,” and “bruising” battle underway, there are sure to be even more attacks wagered and jabs thrown at the first slugfest showdown as the field makes it clear they’re not fighting for Ohioans. 

With three days left, here are three things to look out for at the first slugfest showdown:

1. Donald Trump’s influence continues to loom large in the Ohio Senate slugfest.

  • Trump has repeatedly praised Bernie Moreno – who also has the endorsement of J.D. Vance, Trump’s handpicked Senator from Ohio. 
  • Matt Dolan continues to face Trump’s ire after he was recently caught slamming his opponents and saying whoever has the Trump endorsement will eventually lose.

2. With Ohioans voting on a ballot measure that would protect reproductive rights, the Ohio Senate field supports dangerous abortion bans – including bans with no exceptions for rape or incest.

  • Matt Dolan celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it “exciting,” and has said defeating the November amendment – which would overturn Ohio’s current dangerous ban – is a “priority.”

3. As the field attacks one another, one thing is crystal clear: no candidate in this field is fighting for Ohioans. Whether it’s Bernie Moreno calling for a government shutdown that would force nearly 53,000 Ohioans to either be furloughed or work without pay, Frank LaRose wasting $600,000 in taxpayer dollars to be closer to his campaign while his office is “plague[d]” by turnover, or Matt Dolan using a “cheap loan” only available to the “super wealthy” to bankroll his campaign – no one in this slugfest is working for Ohioans.

FIND SLUGFEST SHOWDOWN DETAILS HERE

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#OHSEN Slugfest: LaRose Struggles To Thread Needle As He’s “Locked in a Battle” in Senate Primary

After Downplaying The Former President’s Endorsement This Year, LaRose “Twisting Himself Up” In Ohio’s “Bloody Primary”

Columbus, OH – A new report by Huffington Post is highlighting how Frank LaRose is desperately “twisting himself up” to appease Donald Trump as he is “locked in a battle” in the Ohio Senate primary. Trump has repeatedly praised LaRose’s primary opponent Bernie Moreno, who is also endorsed by J.D. Vance – Trump’s handpicked Senator from Ohio.

LaRose refused to endorse the former President in 2016, 2020, and the first week of his Senate campaign and was caught downplaying the former President’s endorsement earlier this year at a closed-door Republican gathering. LaRose recently stood by his critical comments about Trump – including that he is “racist,” “disgusting,” and “not a role model for children.”  

Read more: 

Huffington Post: Ohio’s Chief Election Officer Hasn’t (Yet) Embraced The Big Lie. It Might Cost Him A Senate Nod.

Liz Skalka

October 8, 2023

  • Ralph King, a grassroots GOP activist and former delegate for Donald Trump, hasn’t committed to a candidate in Ohio’s highly anticipated 2024 contest for a U.S. Senate seat. But there is one he’s already ruled out: Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
  • Though LaRose’s office did respond to some of HuffPost’s questions for this article, it did not comment on whether he currently believes that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
  • LaRose’s end game is clear to many observers: Last year, Trump’s endorsement lent some MAGA heft to author and then-candidate J.D. Vance, helping him become Ohio’s junior senator despite being anything but a Trump cheerleader before running for office.
  • However, LaRose’s detractors don’t see him pulling off the same feat as convincingly. “He’s a chameleon. This guy will literally support anything and everything he needs to,” said King, who is no fan of Vance either.
  • In July, King lodged an election complaint against LaRose, alleging he was running his campaign before officially filing with the Federal Election Commission. LaRose’s campaign did not comment on the complaint.
  • LaRose didn’t endorse Trump in either of his previous presidential bids, claiming, at least in 2020, that he wanted to appear neutral as Ohio’s chief elections officer. In 2016, LaRose, then a state senator, tapped his background in campaign advance work to help former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who ran for president that year as one of the original Never Trump Republicans. LaRose, keeping his powder dry, backed Kasich in the primary but went on to help with Trump’s inauguration in 2017.
  • “I think Frank’s definitely trying to position himself to be considered” for Trump’s endorsement, the longtime LaRose friend noted, “and in fact twisting himself up a little bit.”
  • “We pay you to do a full-time job. Do your full-time job,” Moreno said on a Columbus radio show in late August, suggesting that LaRose should step down. “If they want to run for a different office, they should resign.”
  • The Ohio Democratic Party, which has relentlessly targeted Brown’s potential opponents, alluded to the possible negative consequences of LaRose serving as secretary of state while running: “Frank LaRose will do anything to further his political ambitions, no matter how much it hurts — or costs — Ohioans,” spokesperson Reeves Oyster said.

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