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GOP Field Doubled Down In Support Of A National Abortion Ban, Proved They’re More Focused on Fighting Each Other Than Fighting For Ohioans

Columbus, OH – Tonight, Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan escalated this “increasingly hostile,” “messy” and “bruising” slugfest and made it clear they won’t fight for Ohioans. 

Here are the top moments from tonight’s GOP debate: 

The entire field doubled down in support of overruling Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban – and Moreno was slammed for claiming abortion rights are a “talking point.” 

Sheree Paolello, WLWT: “I don’t think it’s a talking point. It certainly is a big issue for so many voters.” 

Bernie Moreno’s microphone was cut not once, but twice, as the debate devolved into a messy fight focused more on exchanging jabs and personal attacks than fighting for Ohioans.

Sheree Paolello, WLWT: “Okay, let’s move on. Let’s move on. Okay. Okay. Okay, we’re moving on.”

A Reminder Of What Ohioans Were Reading Today Ahead of Tonight’s Brawl:

• NBC News: Ohio’s GOP Senate primary turns nasty as Trump’s candidate tries to fend off rivals

• AP: Republicans running to face Ohio’s Democratic US Sen. Sherrod Brown this fall vie for voters’ trust

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Columbus, OH – With under two weeks to go until this  “bloody,” “bruising,”  and “expensive” #OHSEN primary comes to a head, Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan spent the third and final debate in this Slugfest making it clear that they won’t fight for Ohioans. 

“Tonight showed that the Republican candidates are more focused on fighting each other than fighting for Ohio,” said ODP spokesperson Katie Smith. “In between the personal attacks and name calling, each said he would overrule Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban. Ohioans saw tonight that Moreno, LaRose, and Dolan are only out for themselves.”  

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Ironton Tribune Editorial Board: Moreno Has “No Real Interest” in Advocating for Ohio, Would “Add To The Problem” in Washington 

Columbus, OH – When asked how he would work across the aisle to deliver for Ohioans, Bernie Moreno said he “reject[ed]” the question. In response, Moreno was slammed by the Ironton Tribune Editorial Board for having “no real interest” in advocating for Ohioans and being “intent on adding to [the] problem” in Washington. 

• In a debate forum, Moreno said he “reject[ed]” the premise of the question when asked how he would work across the aisle to deliver for Ohioans. 

• In response, the Ironton Tribune Editorial Board slammed Moreno for his “telling” answer, having “no real interest” in advocating for Ohioans, and being “intent on adding to [the] problem” in Washington. 

• In February, the Ironton Tribune Editorial Board once again slammed Moreno for “stating he has no interest in working with the other party.”  

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Ohio Capital Journal: “All Ohio Republican U.S. Senate Candidates Opposed November Amendment Passed By 57% Of Ohio Voters That Guaranteed Rights To Fertility Treatment”

Columbus, OH – Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan already voted against protections for IVF by opposing November’s Issue 1, which “clearly” included protections for “access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments.” 

Here are the facts:

• Bernie Moreno opposed Issue 1 and donated $100,000 to Protect Women Ohio – the group leading the campaign to defeat November’s Issue 1 last year. Last week, Moreno called fertility protections a “non-issue” while opposing federal protections for IVF, claiming they are “unnecessary.” 

• Frank LaRose made himself the face of Issue 1 in August – saying it was “100%” about defeating the November amendment. LaRose later colluded with out-of-state special interests to try to ban abortion by rewriting the Issue 1 November ballot language to be intentionally misleading. 

• Matt Dolan said defeating the Issue 1 amendment was a “priority.”

• WVXU: “…all three opposed Issue 1 last fall — the reproductive rights amendment that was passed overwhelmingly by Ohio voters. That amendment says clearly that any Ohioan is allowed to ‘make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including, but not limited to’ decisions about abortion, contraception, miscarriage care, and fertility treatment.” 

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Columbus, OH – Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan would overrule Ohioans – who voted overwhelmingly last year to protect reproductive rights – by voting for a national abortion ban. Despite “previously celebrat[ing] the end of Roe v. Wade as a way to send abortion back to the states for voters to decide,” the entire field now says the issue requires federal intervention.

The entire #OHSEN field would overrule Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban in the Senate: 

• Bernie Moreno supports a national abortion ban and does not support exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother.

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

• Matt Dolan said he would support a national abortion banandcelebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it “exciting.”

• Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan have already voted against protections for IVF by opposing November’s Issue 1, which “clearly” included protections for fertility treatments. Moreno doubled down and claimed protections for fertility treatments are “unnecessary” and “a non-issue.” 

• Cleveland.com: “One of the debate moderators…asked all three candidates if they view abortion as a federal issue and if so, why. All three said they did, and expressed interest in passing national abortion legislation…”

• WVXU: “And all three — Moreno, LaRose, and State Sen. Matt Dolan of Chagrin Falls — agreed there should be a national abortion ban… It makes you question whether the three GOP candidates were paying attention last November when 57% of Ohio voters who went to the polls voted in favor of a ballot issue enshrining abortion rights in the Ohio constitution.”

• NBC News: “Ohioans voted decisively last year to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution, but all three of the Republicans competing in a tough U.S. Senate primary here say they are open to overruling them and supporting federal restrictions.”

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