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Columbus, OH – Frank LaRose took a shot at Bernie Moreno in new audio released today, calling out Moreno for his “dirty insider politics.” LaRose also claimed Moreno received a “transactional” endorsement from J.D. Vance, sparking *another* round of infighting between Moreno and LaRose. 

Frank LaRose: “I don’t think J.D.’s endorsement matters much at all. And I think that that was a completely transactional thing between the two of them, to be very candid. Last year, when J.D. Vance asked Bernie Moreno to drop out, Bernie Moreno dropped out, they cut a deal, and now, you know, J.D. is paying it back. I think that that’s the kind of dirty insider politics that people don’t like, candidly.” 

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Columbus, OH – In case you missed it, Marty Schladen of the Ohio Capital Journal today broke news that Republican Supreme Court candidate Meghan Shanahan has been touting her support from anti-abortion groups on social media, indicating how she’d rule on any abortion rights issues that come before the Ohio Supreme Court. While it’s bad enough that Shanahan is touting endorsements from the same anti-abortion groups behind November’s Issue One campaign, she’s also breaking her own rules in the process after she penned an op-ed for the Ironton Tribune writing, “What’s not fine, is having strongly formed opinions about how cases should be decided before they reach your courtroom.”

“In other words, Shanahan boasted of being endorsed by a group that helped lead the fight against an amendment she will have to interpret if she wins a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court. Almost certainly, the court will hear cases regarding the constitutionality of abortion restrictions that are already on the books, and conservative lawmakers are proposing additional restrictions despite the 14-point margin by which Ohioans passed the abortion-rights amendment last November. So in Ohio, Shanahan eight years ago boasted of the endorsement of a single-issue group whose cause is sure to come before the Ohio Supreme Court,” writes Schladen. 

“It’s clear that abortion rights are once again on the ballot in 2024, and Judge Shanahan has already shown her true colors: rubbing elbows with anti-abortion activists and touting endorsements from the very groups who tried to take away abortion rights last fall. With our fundamental rights at stake, we can’t afford someone who has shown so clearly that she will side with anti-abortion groups over Ohioans,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

Ohio is the only state in the nation with the opportunity to flip the partisan makeup of its state Supreme Court this year. The Court elected in November will likely make decisions on key issues facing our state including, abortion, redistricting and voting rights.

Read more from Ohio Capital Journal HERE and below: 

• Megan Shanahan, a candidate for Ohio Supreme Court, has publicly slammed a Wisconsin jurist for anti-gerrymandering comments she made as she was running last year for that state’s high court.

• But Shanahan, a Cincinnati Republican, in the past has touted the endorsement of Ohio’s most prominent anti-abortion group.

• Once-sleepy state supreme court elections have taken on huge stakes as state’s high courts are becoming the final arbiters in some of the bitterest disputes of the day. 

• In May, Shanahan, the Ohio candidate, published a column in the Ironton Tribune taking the Wisconsin judge to task over her anti-gerrymandering rhetoric.

• But that raises questions about what is proper for a judicial candidate to say and how long ago she can have said it. On Shanahan’s account on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, is a tweet from 2016.

• “So proud to be at the Cincinnati Right to Life’s Evening for Life,” it says, referring to anti-abortion group that helped lead the fight against last year’s abortion-rights amendment.

• Also in 2016, as a Hamilton County common pleas judge, Shanahan tweeted that she was “Proud to be endorsed by Greater Cincinnati Right to Life PAC and CCV.”

• In other words, Shanahan boasted of being endorsed by a group that helped lead the fight against an amendment she will have to interpret if she wins a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court.

• Almost certainly, the court will hear cases regarding the constitutionality of abortion restrictions that are already on the books, and conservative lawmakers are proposing additional restrictions despite the 14-point margin by which Ohioans passed the abortion-rights amendment last November.

• So in Ohio, Shanahan eight years ago boasted of the endorsement of a single-issue group whose cause is sure to come before the Ohio Supreme Court. Meanwhile in Wisconsin, Protasiewicz last year called that state’s legislative and congressional maps “rigged” as she campaigned for a court that’s just as likely to hear cases regarding that issue.

• What’s the difference?

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Columbus, OH – With another government shutdown deadline looming, Ohioans are being reminded that Bernie Moreno has called for a shutdown despite the devastating consequences it would have on Ohioans. Moreno opposed the bipartisan stopgap spending plan in September and called to shut down the federal government, which would have forced tens of thousands of Ohioans to work without pay. As Congress attempts to avoid another shutdown, Ohioans should know Moreno is not fighting for them.

“Bernie Moreno has made it clear he doesn’t care about Ohioans and supports shutting down the government, forcing thousands of Ohioans to either be furloughed or work without pay,” said ODP spokesperson Reeves Oyster. 

What you need to know about how a government shutdown would impact Ohioans:

• Ohioans receiving Social Security and Medicare could be at risk for disruptions. 

• A shutdown would also negatively impact the economy, Ohio workers, and Ohio families – an estimated 6,800 active duty troops in Ohio would not receive pay and tens of thousands of civilian employees would either be furloughed or forced to work without pay. 

• Many Ohio families, including more than 93,000 Ohio children, would also lose their access to healthy food. 

• Ohio small businesses would lose an estimated $4,627,400 in financing per business day. 

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Columbus, OH – One week into 2024 and the #OHSEN Slugfest is already getting messier and nastier. Over the weekend, the Toledo Blade Editorial Board slammed Bernie Moreno for his “questionable” judgment, being “good for the growth of Russia,” and having significant ties to the sketchy crypto industry – a “financial tool that primarily benefits criminals.”

And that’s not all. Over the weekend, Bernie Moreno threw gasoline on the slugfest fire by calling Frank LaRose a liar who is trying to salvage his “floundering” campaign. In response, Frank LaRose’s campaign shot back by calling Moreno’s credibility into question. Plus, Matt Dolan’s campaign also decided to insert themselves and throw punches at Moreno and LaRose.

Read the barbs, jabs, and latest infighting below:

Bernie Moreno: “What’s sad is that Frank LaRose’s campaign is obviously floundering.”

LaRose Campaign: “The word of a used car salesman is not to be trusted. Especially one that is losing by double digits after spending millions of dollars on campaign ads.”

Dolan Campaign: “Bernie Moreno is an ideological shapeshifter who will say or do anything to get elected. He is unvetted, untested and gaffe-prone. The more voters learn about Bernie, the less they’re going to like him.”

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Columbus, OH – It’s finally 2024, but before we jump into the scalding hot #OHSEN Slugfest fire, let’s look back on Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan’s biggest accomplishments – or failures – in 2023 and their New Year’s resolutions. 

Here’s a recap of what has already been called one of the “messiest, “most expensive” and “bruising” primary battles in the country. 

BERNIE MORENO: YEAR IN REVIEW

– Tried to ban abortion and take away Ohioans’ reproductive rights

–Called for a government shutdown despite the devastating repercussions for Ohio families

–Self-funded $3 million to buy himself a Senate seat after saying he wouldn’t “write [himself] a big fat check”

MORENO’S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR 2024: Ban abortion and overrule Ohioans, look out for himself, and continue refusing to stand up for the issues most important to Ohioans’ daily lives.

FRANK LAROSE: YEAR IN REVIEW

–Wasted $18 million in taxpayer funds to silence and overrule Ohioans in August… and lost

–Cost taxpayers $600,000 to move his official office to his campaign HQ

–Tried to ban abortion and take away Ohioans’ reproductive rights

–Mysteriously self-funded $250,000 and then missed important financial disclosure deadlines because he doesn’t think the rules apply to him 

LAROSE’S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR 2024: Ban abortion by overruling Ohioans and continue putting his political ambitions ahead of the people of Ohio.

MATT DOLAN: YEAR IN REVIEW

–Stayed a mega-millionaire

–Tried to ban abortion and take away Ohioans’ reproductive rights

–Enriched his campaign consultants while breaking his pledge to financially support candidates through his PAC

DOLAN’S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR 2024: Ban abortion by overruling Ohioans and try to become relevant.

TOP SLUGFEST MOMENTS FROM 2023

Bernie Moreno: “Maybe Frank LaRose decides that being Secretary of State isn’t that big of a deal… We just elected you for a job. Like, why are you looking for another one? It’s crazy. Do you not like that job? Right? Then you probably should have told us before the election.”

Bonus: Moreno calls himself an “America first political outsider” from the Bahamas.

Frank LaRose: “The one thing I lack is what those two candidates have in abundance and that is personal wealth.” 

Then where did your $250,000 campaign donation come from, Frank? 

It might be a New Year, but this Slugfest is staying as nasty as ever.

SLUGFEST COUNTDOWN

74 days left until this Slugfest comes to a head and the infighting just keeps getting worse. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Frank LaRose on Bernie Moreno: “The last thing Ohio needs is another George Santos.”

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