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For Immediate Release

Thursday, February 17, 2022

At the Request of Both Candidates, Executive Committee Did Not Endorse in Governor’s Race

Columbus, OH — Today, the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) held a virtual meeting of its Executive Committee. Per ODP bylaws, the Committee is required to consider endorsements of statewide candidates before the primary election. The Executive Committee voted tonight to endorse Rep. Tim Ryan for Senate, Justice Jennifer Brunner for Chief Justice and Judges Marilyn Zayas and Terri Jamison for Supreme Court.

“Ohio Democrats are proud to endorse Rep. Tim Ryan, Justice Jennifer Brunner and Judges Marilyn Zayas and Terri Jamison, and we’re excited about the strong candidates we have running. We’re confident we have a strong, diverse ticket coming out of the primary elections that will show voters we’re on their side and lead us to victory in November,” said Chair Walters.

At the request of both candidates, ODP’s Executive Committee did not endorse in the race for governor.

“We respect Mayor Cranley’s and Mayor Whaley’s request for the party not to endorse in the governor’s race. We’re confident that our eventual nominee will provide Ohio voters a much better alternative to the failed leadership and corruption coming out of Mike DeWine’s statehouse,” said Walters.

The Executive Committee will meet again in March to consider endorsements in the other statewide races.

According to ODP bylaws, the Executive Committee shall be called for a meeting before the primary election and the Committee must carefully consider an endorsement in each race. Before tonight’s endorsement vote, the Party convened a screening committee made up of members of the Executive Committee that met with each candidate. The candidates also filled out questionnaires and were vetted thoroughly.

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For Immediate Release:

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Columbus, OH — Today, the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) issued the following statement as  Republicans adjourned the redistricting committee today without passing a map that reflects the political realities of our state. This latest failure will create chaos for Ohio voters and force Ohioans to pay the price – literally – for the political dysfunction perpetrated by the Ohio GOP.

“Republicans have broken this process. Apparently too busy going to the Super Bowl and fundraisers to do their jobs, the chaos Republican commissioners are causing will have very real consequences for Ohio voters. Let’s be clear, this failure falls solely in the lap of Ohio Republicans who continue to break the law in order to appease their special interest buddies. Ohioans deserve leaders who fight tooth and nail for their best interests, instead they’ve gotten the middle finger,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters.

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For Immediate Release:

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Columbus, OH — Today, ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit to Ohio, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement:

“President Biden’s first year was the greatest year of job creation in US history, ever. We are excited to welcome President Biden to Ohio. With the help of Ohio’s Democratic delegation in Congress — President Biden is bringing billions of dollars to Ohio to invest in infrastructure projects across the state. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the largest infrastructure investment in our nation’s history, will improve Ohio’s roads, bridges and public transit, invest in clean drinking water, protect our Great Lakes, and expand reliable access to high-speed internet. And thanks to President Biden and Senator Brown, it will create good-paying jobs with strong ‘Buy America’ provisions and opportunities for working families here in Ohio while strengthening our economy.

“While Ohio Democrats work tirelessly to deliver jobs and this historic investment in our state, Ohio Republicans on the ballot this November opposed these bills and against Ohio’s working families. President Biden’s pro-job, pro-union, and pro-family agenda is going to help Ohioans. Democrats are laser-focused on delivering for working families while Ohio Republicans are only looking out for themselves and the special interests they’re bought by.” 

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Columbus, OH — Jane Timken likes to have it both ways on many issues – her support for establishment politicians like Mike DeWine and John Kasich, defense of those who supported the impeachment of Donald Trump – and today’s endorsement from Senator Rob Portman is no exception.  

Senator Portman declined to run in 2022 right around the time his approval rating dropped among members of his own party after he said the election wasn’t stolen. Some speculated that he would have faced a credible primary challenge fueled by an angry Republican base fed up with his lackluster support for Donald Trump. And while Timken’s front-running opponents can’t run far enough from the man they hope to succeed, Timken is enthusiastically accepting the endorsement from someone who even avoided saying Trump’s name the last time he was on the ballot. 

Struggling in the polls and unable to gain traction with the GOP base, Timken is resorting to building out a bench of endorsers who have been all too happy to go after the former president. Last month, she touted the endorsement of a Trump critic who blasted Trump as “untruthful, insulting,” and lacking “substance.” And while Timken and her allies have gone after other candidates in the field for not being Trumpy enough, all she has to do is look in the mirror to see the face of the anti-Trump lane in this messy, costly, and increasingly nasty primary.

“As she trails the pack in her crowded, nasty, and expensive primary, Jane Timken has given up on even pretending to be anything but a desperate political phony – claiming the Trump mantle one day, and accepting support from some of the most Trump-skeptical members of the GOP the next. Ohioans can spot a phony when they see one, and Timken’s pathetic attempts to do or say anything to save her flailing campaign are no exception,” said Michael Beyer, a spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

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  February 14, 2022 

Good Monday afternoon, and welcome back to Mike Check, your weekly source of all the infighting, conspiracy spewing and corruption that’s making headlines in and around the Republican governor’s race and Mike DeWine’s statehouse, courtesy of the Ohio Democratic Party.

As the gubernatorial race heats up, Republicans are in disarray with Mike DeWine’s popularity dropping by the day, facing attacks both inside and outside of the Republican Party, and having to answer for the largest public corruption scandal in state history. It’s hard to keep up with all of the corruption and mess surrounding Mike DeWine and the GOP gubernatorial primary, so here are some stories you may have missed:

9021-NO.  The Ohio Supreme Court has given the Republican-led redistricting commission until February 17 to draw a fair map (for the third time now), so Mike DeWine is showing the sort of leadership he’s known best for, decided to pack his bags and leave Ohioans to fend for themselves while he spent thousands of dollars to watch the Super Bowl in person. Once again, DeWine is telling Ohio voters just how little he cares by putting his own personal interests over Ohioans’ repeated calls for fair maps. On this Valentine’s Day, one thing is clear for sure: Mike DeWine is just not that into us.

OOPS HE DID IT AGAIN. Remember when Mike DeWine pledged not to appoint PUCO members with ties to the utility industry? Well, last week DeWine broke yet another promise to hardworking Ohioans and put the fox in charge of the henhouse yet again, appointing Daniel Conway to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Bottom line: Mike DeWine will always put his special interest pals and his own interests over helping hardworking families. In case you need a bit of catching up on this mess, Conway is a former utility attorney who is personally invested in the owners of nuclear plants bailed out by House Bill 6, a reminder of when DeWine appointed Sam Randazzo to lead the commission resulting in the largest public corruption scandal in state history.

CLEAR CONFLICTS. The Ohio Capital Journal this week took the DeWine family to task for clear conflicts of interest between the cases Pat DeWine is ruling on from his seat on the Ohio Supreme Court and how those cases intertwine with his dad’s politics. From the HB 6 scandal to redistricting to conflicts of interest within the Department of Medicaid, it’s impossible to separate Mike DeWine’s political future from the rulings we’re seeing from the Supreme Court. OCJ spoke to several legal experts for their story who point out that even the appearance of conflicts of interest is harmful to our state, but as always, the DeWine family will always put their political interests over the needs of working Ohioans and try to ‘no comment’ away the rest.

Thanks for catching up with us, that’s all the Mike Check we’ve got for this week. If you have questions my email is [email protected]. Have a great week!

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