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7 days until Ohioans decide on LaRose’s amendment

Ohioans will decide on Frank LaRose’s amendment one week from today and LaRose’s missteps are front and center – including when LaRose admitted that the amendment is “100%” about abortion. 
 
LaRose has closely tied himself to State Issue 1 – which would benefit special interests and silence the Ohioans he’s supposed to be working for – suffocating his Senate campaign in the process. With a week left until election day, LaRose is now running for cover and trying to pull his primary opponents closer to State Issue 1. 
 
“The writing is on the wall: LaRose’s missteps have hurt himself and State Issue 1 while suffocating his Senate campaign launch,” said ODP spokesperson Reeves Oyster. “If State Issue 1 fails, LaRose will be crowned Ohio’s biggest loser.”
 
Here’s what you need to know about Frank LaRose’s first misstep – admitting that State Issue 1 is “100%” about abortion:
 
After months of State Issue 1 proponents denying that the amendment was designed to make it harder for Ohioans to protect their reproductive rights, LaRose was caught red-handed saying the quiet part out loud that State Issue 1 is “100%” about abortion.
 

Since his mistake, LaRose has been criticized by his primary opponent Bernie Moreno and his words have been used against him.
 

LaRose has tried and failed to lie his way out of his comments – most recently on the debate stage while defending State Issue 1 – but his mistake has “roil[ed]” the Yes on 1’s arguments and his Senate campaign ever since. 

WATCH

Ohioans to Vote on LaRose’s Amendment – Which Would Benefit Special Interests and Silence Ohioans – Next Week

In anticipation of voters rejecting his amendment to benefit special interests and silence Ohioans next week, Frank LaRose is running for cover and trying to pull his primary opponents closer to State Issue 1.
 
LaRose, who has made himself the face of State Issue 1, has been criticized for major missteps that have both hurt himself and the Yes on 1 campaign – including by saying the quiet part out loud that State Issue 1 is “100%” about abortion. 
 
“LaRose is scrambling after making himself the face of State Issue 1, but the writing is on the wall: LaRose’s missteps have hurt himself and State Issue 1 while suffocating his Senate campaign launch,” said ODP Spokesperson Reeves Oyster. “If State Issue 1 fails, LaRose will be crowned Ohio’s biggest loser.”
 

Read / watch more about Frank LaRose’s close ties to State Issue 1: 
 
The State of Ohio: Frank LaRose tied to State Issue 1; “I think that will really strongly be used against him in campaigns.”
July 28, 2023

• Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau: “So, speaking of partisanship, do you think Republicans who have been at the front of this issue will pay a political price for it if it fails? I’m thinking of Secretary of State Frank LaRose who’s now running for the U.S. Senate. Do you think it will help or hurt him, what do you think, Natalie?”
• Natalie Fahmy, WCMH: “You know, I think it will depend ultimately what ends up happening in November because whether or not Issue 1 fails, I think there are going to be some Republicans who are ok with it and some who aren’t ok with it. But I think November, I think that’s definitely a more partisan issue and I think if that fails it’s going to be: ‘Well, because the Secretary of State couldn’t get Issue 1 to pass and that’s why this abortion amendment passed and is now enshrined in our constitution’ and I think that will really strongly be used against him in campaigns.”
• Jeremy Pelzer, Cleveland.com: “…If Issue 1 ends up failing, you’re going to see a lot of finger pointing among Republicans…”

Cleveland.com: Secretary of State Frank LaRose has gone out on a limb to support Issue 1. What will that mean for his U.S. Senate race?: Analysis
Andrew Tobias
July 20, 2023

• And while it’s too simple to say that [LaRose’s] political fortunes will rise or fall with State Issue 1, his close ties to the measure will offer plenty of chances for him to catch attacks from across the political spectrum.
• Many key Ohio Republicans back State Issue 1, which would make it harder to pass future constitutional amendments, including a potential abortion-rights amendment in November. There’s a compelling argument to be made though that LaRose is the issue’s most prominent face.
• During an interview with cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer this week, LaRose, who has described himself as pro-life, said he’s not worried about whether he’s tied himself too closely to State Issue 1 and the broader abortion issue. He’s continued to make pro-Issue 1 advocacy a top priority, working the county GOP circuit and even putting a “Yes on 1″ sign into the video announcing his U.S. Senate candidacy.
• It’s easy to see how LaRose putting his stamp on Issue 1 could materialize in the Republican primary. If it fails, he opens himself up to being painted as the face of the losing effort. That’s beginning to look likely, after a Suffolk University / USA Today Network poll came out Wednesday night showing the measure losing 59% to 26% among voters who say they plan to vote in 2023 and 2024 elections.

Cleveland.com: “Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s Senate primary race will be preceded by his tough race to get Issue 1 passed in a special August election.”
 

MSNBC: Ohio Republicans’ plan to trick voters may backfire spectacularly
Paul Waldman
July 25, 2023

• If the measure succeeds, it would be a dramatic blow to the Republican agenda on one of the most important issues dividing the parties.
• In other words, if Issue 1 succeeds, it would be dramatically harder to get an initiative on the ballot and dramatically harder for it to win. And though Republicans have claimed they only want to advance “good government,” among friends they’re more forthright. As Secretary of State Frank LaRose (who is also running for the Senate) said at a Republican gathering recently, the measure “is 100% about keeping a radical, pro-abortion amendment out of our constitution.”

 WBNS: “Secretary of State Frank LaRose, for example, included a clip of his jog past a ‘Vote Yes’ sign in his yard in yesterday’s Senate campaign announcement.”
 

Statehouse News Bureau: LaRose enters race for the U.S. Senate while being at the forefront of a controversial ballot issue
Jo Ingles, Karen Kasler
July 17, 2023

• LaRose’s entry into the race has come later than some had anticipated and it is happening now, while he is at the forefront of the campaign in support of Issue 1 – the proposed constitutional change that Ohio voters will decide next month that would make it harder for future citizen-led constitutional amendments to pass or even get onto the ballot. That vote comes just months ahead of a possible November ballot issue to enshrine abortion rights into Ohio’s constitution.
• LaRose has told crowds the issue is “100%” about blocking the abortion amendment, but has also said it would protect the constitution from a variety of “special interests” in the future. Unions, Democrats, groups supporting various issues and some Republicans have opposed Issue 1, saying it would do the opposite because special interests would be the only ones who would be able to mount a constitutional change if Issue 1 passes. 

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose joins U.S. Senate race
Nick Evans
July 18, 2023

• Over the next four months, LaRose will have to balance Senate fundraising and campaigning with running two elections. One of those contests — an Aug. 8 election on Issue 1 that seeks to make it harder for voters to amend the state constitution — is only on the calendar at Republicans’ insistence. LaRose is one of the proposal’s chief advocates and after initially speaking against August elections when lawmakers eliminated them last year, LaRose supported bringing back this August election to consider Issue 1.
• Far from sitting on the sidelines for Issue 1, LaRose has been a driving force in the push to amend Ohio’s constitution so that future amendments are harder to pass.

The Vindicator: The ups and downs of LaRose’s Senate bid
David Skolnick
July 21, 2023

• Finally, LaRose is one of the primary backers of state Issue 1, which would make it much harder for constitutional amendments to pass if voters approve it Aug. 8. LaRose is so connected to the issue that his Senate cause could be impacted if it is defeated.
• LaRose is so connected to the issue that his Senate cause could be impacted if it is defeated.

After making himself “the face of” an amendment designed to benefit special interests and silence Ohioans, Frank LaRose is running for cover and trying to pull his primary opponents closer to State Issue 1. 
 
LaRose has been criticized for major missteps that have both hurt himself and the Yes on 1 campaign – including by saying the quiet part out loud that State Issue 1 is “100%” about abortion. 
 
“LaRose is scrambling after making himself the face of State Issue 1, but the writing is on the wall: LaRose’s missteps have hurt himself and State Issue 1 while suffocating his Senate campaign launch,” said ODP Spokesperson Reeves Oyster. “If State Issue 1 fails, LaRose will be crowned Ohio’s biggest loser.”
 
Read more:
 
The Messenger: Ohio Secretary of State Issues Ultimatum to Senate GOP Challengers Over Anti-Abortion Vote
Matt Holt
July 31, 2023

• Frank LaRose has made himself the face of the controversial ballot issue that Ohio voters will vote on next week
• Dolan, LaRose, and Moreno all support voting yes on Issue 1, but LaRose has made himself the face of the effort, campaigning across Ohio and appearing at a televised debate on the issue.
• “The only thing I would knock Frank on is that he said it’s ‘100% about abortion’ which has screwed up the messaging,” Moreno said. “It’s 100% about protecting the constitution.” 
• But LaRose’s backhanded attacks against Dolan and Moreno reflect his posture in the upcoming GOP primary, which is expected to be another bruising, expensive, and competitive affair. Dolan and Moreno are both wealthy and have the ability to self-fund their campaigns. Moreno raised $2.2 million in the second quarter of 2023 without any candidate loans, while Dolan has loaned his campaign $4 million this year.  
• If Issue 1 is defeated soundly, it would be a blow to LaRose’s political capital, considering how much he has campaigned in support of the issue. 

Cleveland.com: In Ohio GOP U.S. Senate Race, Frank LaRose asks his rivals for $1 million each backing State Issue 1
Jake Zuckerman
July 31, 2023

• Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose – a key figure behind the looming State Issue 1 election to make it harder for citizens to propose and pass constitutional amendments – wants his political rivals to chip in for the cause.
• A LaRose spokesman confirmed LaRose has not personally contributed to the yes on Issue 1 campaign. However, he pointed to LaRose’s “sweat equity” behind the issue, appearing at televised debates and other public appearances to press the case.

The infighting in the Ohio Senate slugfest only got more heated this week as Bernie Moreno attacked Frank LaRose *again* for bungling State Issue 1. LaRose has closely tied himself to the upcoming August election – going so far as to defend State Issue 1 on the debate stage this week and catching serious flak in the process.  
 
Here’s what you missed this week in what has already been called one of the “messiest, “most expensive” and “bruising” primary battles in the country. 
 

LAROSE FEELS HEAT OVER STATE ISSUE 1

Bernie Moreno attacked Frank LaRose for bungling the messaging around State Issue 1 and making the August election “100%” about abortion – a comment LaRose has paid for every day since.
 

LAROSE THEN WENT ON DEFENSE, TRADING BARBS WITH MORENO

THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME LAROSE HAS BEEN CRITICIZED BY REPUBLICANS FOR BADLY POSITIONING STATE ISSUE 1…

…OR BY OHIOANS. ON THE DEBATE STAGE THIS WEEK, LAROSE WAS “REPEATEDLY JEERED” FOR HIS TIES TO STATE ISSUE 1.

A REMINDER OF WHAT OHIOANS ARE READING ABOUT FRANK LAROSE A WEEK INTO HIS SENATE CAMPAIGN: 
 

Statehouse News Bureau: LaRose enters race for the U.S. Senate while being at the forefront of a controversial ballot issue
 
Cleveland.com: “And while it’s too simple to say that [LaRose’s] political fortunes will rise or fall with State Issue 1, his close ties to the measure will offer plenty of chances for him to catch attacks from across the political spectrum.”
 
Cleveland.com: “Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s Senate primary race will be preceded by his tough race to get Issue 1 passed in a special August election.”
 
Ohio Capital Journal: “Over the next four months, LaRose will have to balance Senate fundraising and campaigning with running two elections… LaRose is one of the proposal’s chief advocates and after initially speaking against August elections when lawmakers eliminated them last year, LaRose supported bringing back this August election to consider Issue 1.”
 
The Vindicator: “Finally, LaRose is one of the primary backers of state Issue 1, which would make it much harder for constitutional amendments to pass if voters approve it Aug. 8. LaRose is so connected to the issue that his Senate cause could be impacted if it is defeated.”
 
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
 
Bernie Moreno when asked what the biggest animal he could take on with his bare hands and win is: “Well that’s easy, I have two of them in my primary: The RINO.”

This isn’t the first time LaRose has faced legal questions and ethics concerns

Frank LaRose has been in the Ohio Senate slugfest for ten days and is already facing an ethics complaint for his sketchy shadow campaign, filed by an Ohio Republican. The complaint alleges that Frank LaRose “illegally ran a de-facto campaign for the U.S. Senate for months without disclosing how it was funded.” 
 
This isn’t the first time LaRose’s sketchy shadow campaign has raised legal questions and ethics concerns – including that his super PAC is being run by the same operatives behind the largest corruption scandal in state history. Earlier this year, the Daily Beast found that LaRose had “possibly trigger[ed] campaign finance regulations” by admitting he was raising money into a super PAC.
 
Ohioans – including his opponent Bernie Moreno – have been slamming LaRose for weeks for “campaigning out of his office” and being more focused on his political agenda than doing his job. 
 
Read more:
 
Cleveland.com: Elections complaint accuses Frank LaRose of flouting election law during lead up to U.S. Senate campaign
Andrew Tobias
July 27, 2023

• Secretary of State Frank LaRose, leading up to the official start of his bid for the U.S. Senate, illegally ran a de-facto campaign for the U.S. Senate for months without disclosing how it was funded, a recent federal elections complaint filed by a local Republican activist alleges.
• Meanwhile, LaRose filed no paperwork documenting any campaign expenses, King said, while also raising more money for the Leadership for Ohio Fund than he’d be allowed to if he were a declared candidate. The Leadership for Ohio Fund also has made no public disclosures, although it may soon after registering with the Federal Elections Commission as a Super PAC on July 15, just before LaRose announced his candidacy.
• King’s complaint alleges LaRose clearly had decided he would get in the race weeks ago, when in early May, he told a potential donor he was “‘preparing to, hopefully soon, announce [his] candidacy for this office.’” LaRose has telegraphed plans to run for the U.S. Senate since around then, telling donors and reporters that he would make a decision on the race “soon” while making arguments for himself as a candidate. In late April, LaRose also attended a fundraiser hosted by the Leadership for Ohio Fund at the Washington, D.C., home of Barry Jackson, ex-House Speaker John Boehner’s former chief of staff, according to NBC News.
• The FEC complaint speculates that LaRose, before declaring his official candidacy earlier this month, may have raised money for the Leadership for Ohio Fund in excess of the $3,300-per-donor limits.
• “To me in my untrained, non-campaign eye, it’s pretty clear what he’s doing,” King said.