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Columbus, OH – Despite Ohioans voting to protect abortion access and overturn the state’s current dangerous abortion ban this week by passing State Issue 1, the entire #OHSEN field has said they would overrule Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban in the Senate. 

REMINDER: The #OHSEN field supports dangerous abortion bans and would vote for a national ban:

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

• Frank LaRose supports a national abortion ban, opposes exceptions for rape or incest, and celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

• 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.

What Ohioans are reading about the #OHSEN field after voting to protect reproductive rights: 

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio Democrats working to tie GOP candidates to unpopular abortion stances after Issue 1 rout

Nick Evans

November 9, 2023

• In the U.S. Senate primary, all three Republicans loudly opposed the reproductive rights amendment; Republican candidates for Congress in hotly contested races did the same.

• “Every single Republican candidate running against Sherrod Brown in the primary — Frank LaRose, Bernie Moreno and Matt Dolan — all support a national abortion ban,” Walters argued. “And if they are elected, they will go to Washington to try to override the will of the Ohio voters through a national abortion ban.”

• U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH, posted a video Wednesday hammering his Republican opponents for their stances. Walters argued next year’s election will be a referendum on the reproductive rights — even if the abortion issue itself isn’t on the ballot.

• “Ohio voters are smart, they understand what’s in front of them,” Walters said. “They will understand next year that sending one of these out of touch Republicans to Washington will merely empower folks who do not believe in choice, who do not believe in democracy.”

• “In Northeast Ohio, you have counties that were traditionally in the Democratic base stretching from Toledo all the way to the Pennsylvania border, that have largely fallen to Republicans,” he described. “And what you saw was a sweep for Issue 1, from Toledo all the way to Erie, Pennsylvania. And I really think that is a blueprint for how Sherrod Brown could win another term.”

• In past statements, Bernie Moreno has backed a 15-week national abortion ban that allows states to impose stiffer restrictions.

• On Meet the Press, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said he’d vote for a national ban if it came up in the U.S. Senate. He wasn’t specific about what he wanted to see, but said he voted for Ohio’s six-week ban and described it as “a good standard.”

• State Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls prefers leaving the decision to the state, but The Dispatch reports he’d give a national ban “a second look.”

• Ohio Capital Journal reached out to all three candidates to see if they had any comment in the wake of Issue 1’s results. None of them responded.

National Journal Hotline:

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Ohio Democrats Can Visit ohiodems.org/convention to Find Delegate Selection Plan and Apply to Run for DNC Delegate

Columbus, OH – Today, the Ohio Democratic Party announced that the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) delegate selection process is open. Ohio Democrats can visit ohiodems.org/convention to learn more about the process of running for DNC delegate and fill out and submit their declaration of candidacy forms for the 2024 convention. 

“Ohio Democrats are excited to head to Chicago next August, mark the progress we’ve made over the last four years and look ahead to the work that remains to move our state and country forward. We’re ready to elect a broad, diverse coalition of delegates to Chicago and show off our Ohio pride at the 2024 Democratic National Convention,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters.  

DNC Delegates help nominate the Democratic candidate for President. A total of 83 district delegates from Ohio and eight district alternates will be elected to represent Ohio at the 2024 DNC, in addition to at-large delegates and others representing the Ohio Democratic Party. Caucuses will take place in each of Ohio’s 15 congressional districts on January 9, 2024. 

The convention will take place in Chicago from August 19 – 22, 2024. 

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Columbus, OH – Today, Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) Chair Elizabeth Walters hosted a media availability to celebrate passage of Issue One in Ohio, which prevents Ohio’s extreme 6-week abortion ban from taking effect and keeps private, personal medical decisions between a woman and her doctor.

“Last night, Ohio won a huge victory when we passed Issue One, protecting reproductive rights for millions of Ohio women and stopping Ohio’s extreme, six-week abortion ban in its tracks. It’s an important political victory, to be sure, but it’s also a victory for millions of women across the state for whom this issue was highly personal,” said Chair Walters. 

Ohio Democrats collected more than 117,000 signatures to get Issue One on the ballot this November. They also knocked on a total of 365,000 doors and made 600,000 phone calls to encourage Ohioans to vote for Issue One. 

Chair Walters also pointed to the important work ahead, as control of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House will run through Ohio. 

“We have our work cut out for us, but let me be clear: Ohio Democrats are more energized than ever. And as many times as we need to, we’re ready to tell these out-of-touch politicians: We won’t go back,” said Chair Walters.

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Columbus, OH – Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement to celebrate the passage of Issue One, a citizen-led ballot initiative to protect reproductive rights, stop Ohio’s extreme six-week abortion ban and keep politicians out of the personal, private medical decisions that should remain between a woman and her doctor. 

“Tonight was a great victory for women and families across the state. While corrupt, out-of-touch politicians once again tried to strip Ohioans of their fundamental rights, Ohio voters told these politicians that we won’t go back. For the second time this year, Ohioans sent a message loud and clear, and we hope that their elected officials will finally listen.

“At the same time, our work is far from over. Control of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House will undoubtedly run through Ohio, and we must make sure that every Republican who supports a national abortion ban, from Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose, and Matt Dolan on down, cannot overturn the will of Ohio voters in Congress. We also have to flip the Ohio Supreme Court and win key state legislative races next year. Tonight’s results only raise the stakes of 2024 and we’re ready to tell any politician in Ohio who will inevitably try to take away our reproductive rights again: we won’t go back” 

Ohio Democrats collected more than 117,000 signatures to get Issue One on the ballot this November. They also knocked on a total of 350,000 doors and made 600,000 phone calls to encourage Ohioans to vote for Issue One. 

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Ohioans Voting To Protect Abortion Access Today

Columbus, OH – Read and watch Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom For All, and Alex Wagner call out Frank LaRose and Bernie Moreno for intentionally trying to mislead Ohioans while doubling down in support of dangerous abortion bans. 

MSNBC: Mini Timmaraju Discusses State Issue 1 and Frank LaRose, Bernie Moreno Trying to Ban Abortion

Mini Timmaraju: “They are so desperate and worried about losing, as I said before they’re lying.” 

Mini Timmaraju: “The majority of folks in Ohio support abortion access, but when it looks like we’re winning…folks like Frank LaRose and Mike DeWine pull out every trick in their book to basically try to change the rules.” 

Alex Wagner: “The chicanery is off the charts.” 

Alex Wagner on Bernie Moreno lying about State Issue 1, doubling down in support of dangerous abortion bans: “So nefarious, far-fetched, and largely unsupported by any facts.”

Alex Wagner: “[LaRose], the Secretary of State, purged 26,000 voters from the Ohio voting rolls two weeks before voter registration ends. If you can’t win, just make sure they can’t vote.”  

Salon: Ohio voters finally get a chance to overturn dangerous abortion ban

Mini Timmaraju

November 5, 2023 

• Voters in the Buckeye State will weigh in on Issue 1 next week… If approved, the measure will block the state’s dangerous six-week abortion ban, passed by the GOP-led state legislature and currently blocked by the courts.. On Tuesday, the voters can put people—not politicians—back in charge of their own decisions about their bodies and families.

• Polls show that 8 in 10 Americans believe in legal abortion, and we know that, given the chance, voters overwhelmingly vote to protect their freedoms at the ballot box. But that hasn’t changed what we’re up against.

• In state after state, voters must overcome dirty tricks and dishonest politicians who simply cheat when confronted with the reality that the public doesn’t support their dangerous anti-abortion agenda.

• There is perhaps no better example than Ohio, where Republican Frank LaRose, the current secretary of state also running for U.S. Senate, has made it clear he will do whatever it takes to support his own political ambitions—no matter the cost. He has left no stone unturned in his attempts to trick and silence voters.

• LaRose used his official position to rewrite the language Ohioans will see when they vote on Issue 1 this November and cram in anti-abortion disinformation meant to muddy the waters. It is yet another blatant attempt to silence and trick voters and block an effort that more than 700,000 Ohioans signed on to support.

• But LaRose, much like his colleagues across the Republican Party, does not care what his constituents want. He doesn’t care about their health and well-being. After all, he has already promised to support a national abortion ban if elected to the Senate, regardless of how Ohioans vote this November.

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