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DeWine Debate Watch: Day 19
 

Columbus, OH — As debate season starts to ramp up in the closing weeks and days of the election cycle, Mike DeWine has continued to duck committing to debates across Ohio with Mayor Nan Whaley, even as the Mayor has already publicly agreed and challenged DeWine to a number of debates. DeWine also dodged a debate with his primary opponents earlier this year, signaling that he is scared to defend his record to Ohioans, especially since he’s debated political opponents in the past. It’s ‘DeWine Debate Watch’ Day 18, reminding Ohioans that DeWine won’t even try to make his case to them as he seeks re-election to the highest statewide executive office. 

“Mike DeWine clearly knows his record over the last four years of selling out working families in favor of the wealthy and well-connected is not going to be popular with Ohio voters. If DeWine can’t even muster the political courage to tell Ohioans why they should re-elect him, he doesn’t deserve the job and should be held publicly accountable for his cowardice,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Matt Keyes. 

Ohioans deserve answers from DeWine on a number of key issues, including his promise to ‘go as far as we can’ to rip away reproductive rights, his broken promise to ‘do something’ to combat gun violence in Ohio, his connections to the largest public corruption scandal in state history and his role in the failed redistricting process that produced GOP-gerrymandered maps and cost Ohioans millions of dollars. 

 Read more from the Wright State Guardian HERE and below:

  • As the Ohio midterm election grows closer, voters may expect to see a debate between the two candidates in the gubernatorial election for Governor, incumbent Governor Mike DeWine and former mayor of Dayton Nan Whaley. According to the Whaley-Stephens campaign, DeWine has declined offers to debate.

  • Dr. Sean Wilson, professor of political science at Wright State University, noted that DeWine has also refused debate offers in the past, notably against challenger Jim Renacci in the 2022 Republican primaries; instead, DeWine has relied on his position as the incumbent candidate.

  • The Whaley-Stephens campaign continues to push for a debate between the candidates. 

  • “We owe it to Ohioans to debate the issues in a format where Ohioans can hear an open exchange of ideas,” the official Whaley-Stephens campaign statement said. “I’m ready to debate Governor DeWine and I hope that he changes his mind and will join me.”

  • The Ohio Debate Commission invited Whaley to participate in a debate in Akron on Oct. 10; according to the ODC website, Whaley has accepted this invitation and DeWine has not.

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Ohio Democrats Bring the “Not-So-Strong Ohio” Tour to Toledo

Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democrats brought their “Not-So-Strong Ohio” tour to Toledo as they travel across the state to lay out how Mike DeWine’s weakness is taking our state backward. 

For four years, DeWine has been too weak to stand up to extremists in his own party and the special interests fueling his campaign, instead serving as a rubber stamp for policies that hurt working families while failing to provide the leadership Ohioans expect from their governor.  

“On issues ranging from abortion rights to gun violence to redistricting to the the largest public corruption scandal in state history, Mike DeWine’s weakness is costing Ohioans big time and taking our state backward,” said Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz.

Key examples of DeWine’s weakness include:

  • Abortion Rights – Mike DeWine told an anti-abortion special interest group that he wants ‘to go as far as he can’ to rip away reproductive rights in Ohio. 
  • Gun Violence – Despite promising to ‘do something’ to combat gun violence, DeWine caved to the gun lobby and signed gun bills that are opposed by Ohio law enforcement because they make Ohioans less safe. 
  • FirstEnergy Bribery Scandal – ‘State Official 1’ has been dodging questions since October about what he knew and when about the largest public corruption scandal in state history, a scandal that continues to cost Ohioans $287,000 every single day. 
  • Redistricting – Even as he acknowledged the maps he was passing were likely unconstitutional, DeWine ignored voters, caved to his own party and rubber stamped seven illegal, GOP-gerrymandered maps. 

With this kind of record, it’s no wonder Mike DeWine is scared to debate Nan Whaley. He’s spent his whole time as governor selling out to the wealthy and well-connected and leaving Ohio workers to pay the price. 

“If Mike DeWine is going to cower to the likes of Matt Huffman on every issue, he should step aside and let someone who wants the job actually lead our state,” said Ohio Treasurer candidate Scott Schertzer.

“Time and again, we’ve seen that DeWine is weak on key issues impacting Ohioans across the state. And he’s scared of running on his record, and that’s why he refuses to debate,” said Toledo City Councilmember At-Large Nick Komives.

Ohio Democrats, like former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, are offering a better way forward: moving our state forward by investing in working families and putting kitchen-table, economic issues front and center. 

“Ohio deserves better. We need a governor who will stand up to the bad guys, not do their bidding. We need Nan Whaley,” said State Rep. Lisa Sobecki. 

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ICYMI: Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Senate Race: Tim Ryan Blasts Lindsey Graham Abortion Ban As J.D. Vance Stays Quiet

Columbus, OH – According to a new report from Cincinnati Enquirer’s Haley BeMiller, J.D. Vance refused to answer whether he supports a national abortion ban but cheered a ban last year. Vance’s position is out of step not only with Ohioans but even Republican U.S. Senator Rob Portman, who Vance is vying to replace. 

Vance is also set to campaign with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham next month – standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the biggest cheerleader for a national abortion ban. This isn’t the first time J.D. Vance has let Ohioans know his extreme and out-of-touch position on abortion – he’s compared abortion to slavery and called rape “inconvenient.” 

“J.D. Vance’s disgusting comments on abortion are further proof that he belongs nowhere near the U.S. Senate. There is no doubt J.D. Vance would be another vote for a national abortion ban and take away Ohio womens’ freedom to make healthcare decisions that should be between them and their doctors,” said Elizabeth Walters, Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. 

Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Senate Race: Tim Ryan blasts Lindsey Graham abortion ban as J.D. Vance stays quiet
Haley BeMiller 
September 15, 2022

  • U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan railed against a federal abortion ban introduced in the U.S. Senate this week, accusing “extremists” of trying to take advantage of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
     
  • The bill from South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham would ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks of pregnancy, except in cases of rape, incest or when the pregnant person’s health is at risk. The proposal is unlikely to get a vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate, but Graham said it would give Republicans fodder for their message on abortion ahead of the November midterms.
     
  • Vance’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment, and the “Hillbilly Elegy” author has so far been quiet on Graham’s proposal. Vance doesn’t support exceptions for cases of rape or incest and said last year that children shouldn’t be punished for “inconvenient” circumstances around their birth.
     
  • He’s offered mixed messages on whether he would support a federal abortion ban. In a July “Meet the Press” appearance, he said states should be left to “figure this out for now” and signaled support for Ohio’s six-week abortion ban. Months prior, he said during a podcast interview that he would “like abortion to be illegal nationally,” although he argued a federal ban is unlikely in the current political climate.
     
  • “Let’s say Roe v. Wade is overruled,” he said in the January interview. “Ohio bans abortion in 2022 − let’s say 2024. Then every day, George Soros sends a 747 to Columbus to load up disproportionately Black women to get them to go have abortions in California. Of course, the left will celebrate this as a victory for diversity…If that happens, do you need some federal response to prevent it from happening because it’s really creepy? I’m pretty sympathetic to that, actually. Hopefully we get to a point where Ohio bans abortion and California and the Soroses of the world respect it.”
     
  • Vance is scheduled to headline a Summit County Republican Party dinner with Graham next month.
     
  • Graham’s legislation came just days before a Hamilton County judge blocked Ohio’s six-week ban for two weeks. A USA TODAY Network Ohio/Suffolk University poll released Thursday found 68% of likely Ohio voters oppose that policy, and 84% supported exceptions for victims of rape or incest.
     
  • Some Republicans balked at Graham’s decision to introduce the ban in the midst of a key election cycle. After the court overturned Roe, many GOP leaders argued abortion policy should be left up to states and worked to shift voters’ focus back to the economy. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said this week that it should remain a state issue.
     
  • “Abortion is a very sensitive and emotional issue with strong feelings on both sides and therefore should be decided by the elected representatives of the people,” Portman said. “Through its Dobbs ruling, the Supreme Court made this clear. I believe this was the right ruling, and now our elected leaders in the states will make the decisions on this issue.”

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DeWine Debate Watch: Day 18

Columbus, OH — As debate season starts to ramp up in the closing weeks and days of the election cycle, Mike DeWine has continued to duck committing to debates across Ohio with Mayor Nan Whaley, even as the Mayor has already publicly agreed and challenged DeWine to a number of debates. DeWine also dodged a debate with his primary opponents earlier this year, signaling that he is scared to defend his record to Ohioans, especially since he’s debated political opponents in the past. It’s ‘DeWine Debate Watch’ Day 18, reminding Ohioans that DeWine won’t even try to make his case to them as he seeks re-election to the highest statewide executive office. 

“Mike DeWine clearly knows his record over the last four years of selling out working families in favor of the wealthy and well-connected is not going to be popular with Ohio voters. If DeWine can’t even muster the political courage to tell Ohioans why they should re-elect him, he doesn’t deserve the job and should be held publicly accountable for his cowardice,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Matt Keyes. 

Ohioans deserve answers from DeWine on a number of key issues, including his promise to ‘go as far as we can’ to rip away reproductive rights, his broken promise to ‘do something’ to combat gun violence in Ohio, his connections to the largest public corruption scandal in state history and his role in the failed redistricting process that produced GOP-gerrymandered maps and cost Ohioans millions of dollars. 

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DeWine Debate Watch: Day 17

Columbus, OH — As debate season starts to ramp up in the closing weeks and days of the election cycle, Mike DeWine has continued to duck committing to debates across Ohio with Mayor Nan Whaley, even as the Mayor has already publicly agreed and challenged DeWine to a number of debates. DeWine also dodged a debate with his primary opponents earlier this year, signaling that he is scared to defend his record to Ohioans, especially since he’s debated political opponents in the past. It’s ‘DeWine Debate Watch’ Day 17, reminding Ohioans that DeWine won’t even try to make his case to them as he seeks re-election to the highest statewide executive office.

“Mike DeWine clearly knows his record over the last four years of selling out working families in favor of the wealthy and well-connected is not going to be popular with Ohio voters. If DeWine can’t even muster the political courage to tell Ohioans why they should re-elect him, he doesn’t deserve the job and should be held publicly accountable for his cowardice,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Matt Keyes. 

Ohioans deserve answers from DeWine on a number of key issues, including his promise to ‘go as far as we can’ to rip away reproductive rights, his broken promise to ‘do something’ to combat gun violence in Ohio, his connections to the largest public corruption scandal in state history and his role in the failed redistricting process that produced GOP-gerrymandered maps and cost Ohioans millions of dollars. 

Read more from the Dispatch Opinion here and below: 

The Columbus Dispatch: Why isn’t Mike DeWine debating Nan Whaley for governor?
Jill Zimon
September 13, 2022 

  • According to a new USA TODAY Network/Suffolk University poll, voters overwhelmingly say the candidates for governor and U.S. Senate should debate. In fact, 84 percent of them say the candidates should debate.
  • We agree with the majority of Ohioans, and we remain ready to sit down with both sides of each race and help them respond to the electorate.
  • How did these candidates get to the middle of September without sitting down to talk with each other about debates?
  • Maybe candidates and campaigns are out of practice and are taking advantage of the break the pandemic gave in-person demands. Nevertheless, this survey shows that the public believes the leaders who want to serve them should get in shape and show up for in-person experiences.
  • They often point to joint appearances at editorial interviews where editorial boards have their own agenda as they consider who to endorse. These are worthwhile endeavors, but they’re not televised debates.
  • Other critiques say debates don’t offer new information about candidates, are only about entertainment, and don’t change people’s minds.
  • Now, eight out of 10 Ohioans have said they too know the reality, separate from the campaigns’ rationales: in Ohio, we expect our gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidates to debate.
  • Incumbent gubernatorial candidate Mike DeWine actually helped set this expectation. He debated all three times when he ran for the U.S. Senate, including when he had a big lead in 1994 over Joel Hyatt, going on to win 53-39%, and in 2000, when he debated Ted Celeste and won 60-36%.
  • And with the governor’s office, only once in Ohio’s last 10 gubernatorial races has there not been a general election debate, even when the candidates were not close.
  • Those candidates and campaigns didn’t wait for a poll to tell them the right thing to do and the best way for one candidate to show how they contrast with another. They did what candidates do in strong democracies: show up, stand up, and speak out on a debate stage together.
  • This tradition may be at risk, but it is more important than ever: With an open senate seat that has drawn international attention because of its role in the balance of power in our nation’s capital, Ohio’s first-ever female nominee for governor, and tens of thousands of new registrants in Ohio, people want to see and hear for themselves.

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