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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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Ohioans Have Spoken

Columbus, OH – It’s awards season and Bernie Moreno and Frank LaRose today won coveted awards in Cleveland.com’s annual Sloopys. Ohioans made their voices clear by naming Moreno Ohio’s “Biggest Windbag” and LaRose Ohio’s “Biggest Self-Promoter.” 

Even with LaRose’s preferred 60% threshold, LaRose would still be named the Biggest Self-Promoter.

Congratulations to all celebrating!

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Columbus, OH – According to a must-read report from Cleveland.com, Frank LaRose received a “financial lifeline” through a $3 million donation from billionaire Richard Uihlein – who also funded LaRose’s August amendment to silence Ohioans.  

Read more: 

Cleveland.com: Frank LaRose needs money for his Senate race. A GOP megadonor just gave him a financial lifeline.

Andrew Tobias

December 20, 2023

• A Republican megadonor who helped bankroll the unsuccessful attempt in August to foil Ohio’s abortion-rights amendment has made a seven-figure contribution to a political group supporting Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s run for U.S. Senate, a development that could provide LaRose’s cash-strapped campaign with a financial lifeline.

• Richard Uihlein of Illinois has given $3 million to the Leadership for Ohio Fund, a Super PAC founded by LaRose’s political allies ahead of his Senate run, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer has learned.

• The contribution will help LaRose address a major shortcoming — his lack of fundraising. LaRose’s campaign in September reported having $868,000 in its bank account, widely viewed as a weak number, even while including a $250,000 personal loan from LaRose.

• LaRose’s financial issues are especially significant because Dolan and Moreno each are independently wealthy and capable of drawing from their personal fortunes to self-fund heir own campaigns. Both have launched statewide TV ad campaigns, which LaRose has yet to be able to match. The $3 million contribution will allow LaRose to run roughly two weeks of statewide TV ads.

• The money also comes the day after ex-President Donald Trump endorsed Moreno, another major problem for LaRose, who conspicuously aimed to get Trump’s endorsement or at least keep him neutral in the race.

• Uihlein, the founder of a shipping supplies company, got involved in Ohio politics earlier this year when he spent millions supporting failed August ballot issue, championed by LaRose, that would have have made it harder to change the Ohio constitution by requiring future amendments to get 60% in a statewide vote.

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Columbus, OH – In honor of the upcoming holidays, today the Republican Senate field’s Christmas wish lists leaked for all Ohioans to see. It’s been a busy year of misleading Ohioans, trying to eliminate Ohioans’ reproductive rights, and LOTS of infighting for the field. We hope they get what they asked for!

OOPS! Looks like Matt Dolan forgot to do this wish list… It’s okay though, we know he can afford anything he wants.

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Columbus, OH – After trying and failing twice to rip fundamental rights away from Ohio women this year, Ohio Republicans keep doubling down on their war on women. Yesterday, Morgan Trau of WEWS-TV reported anti-abortion activists are working behind closed doors with GOP politicians at the statehouse to introduce a total abortion ban, with no exceptions for rape or incest. The bill would also make having an abortion or taking an abortion pill a homicide. 

Passing the bill would overrule the will of Ohio voters, who defeated the six-week abortion ban in Ohio by 14 points, and the lead anti-abortion activist behind the bill admits the goal of the legislation is to “normalize the idea of a total ban.”  

“From Frank LaRose, Bernie Moreno and Matt Dolan to corrupt politicians at the statehouse, it’s clear Ohio Republicans will stop at nothing to overrule Ohio voters and continue their ongoing war on women. Make no mistake: abortion is on the ballot in 2024, and we must defeat any politician who wants to insert themselves into the private, personal medical decisions that should be made between a woman and her doctor,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

Every Republican running for U.S. Senate has said they would overrule Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban:

• Bernie Moreno supports a national abortion ban and does not support exceptions for rape, incest, or life of the mother. At his campaign launch, Bernie Moreno said he is “unapologetically pro-life.”

• Frank LaRose supports a national abortion ban, opposes exceptions for rape or incest, and admitted he colluded with special interests to try to ban abortion by rewriting the November ballot language to be intentionally misleading.

• Matt Dolan celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it “exciting.” Dolan said defeating the November amendment was a priority and said he would support a national abortion ban.

Republican politicians not only tried to take away abortion rights, they’ve supported spousal rape, cast doubt on a ten-year-old rape victim, called rape an ‘opportunity,’ and said they want to ‘go as far as we can’ to limit reproductive healthcare. It’s clear these politicians are disconnected from reality and hold extreme views that are dangerous for the future of our state. 

Read more from Morgan Trau HERE and below: 

• Anti-abortion advocates say they are working with Ohio lawmakers to put forward a total abortion ban. This comes after the Ohio Supreme Court dismissed the state’s appeal to enforce a near-total abortion ban.

• It’s happening behind the scenes. Right now, anti-abortion advocate Austin Beigel is working with lawmakers to introduce a total abortion ban.

• It would create a total abortion ban, with an exception for the life of the mother. It would make the procedure or abortion pill a homicide.

• The draft is currently being discussed in the “Pro-Life Caucus,” a group of 27 Republicans inside the Ohio House. There is at least one sponsor and several other cosponsors, according to Beigel.

• Beigel knows this will be a legal challenge, but he is also trying to normalize the idea of a total ban. By continuing to introduce it, it may get passed further down the line, he argued.

• “It would be going against the majority of the voters, yes, I fully acknowledge that,” Beigel responded. “Voters can decide to do things that are immoral and evil; That has been a deeply historical part of our country and the majority of people have desired evil at many times in our culture’s history.”

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