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Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters issued the following statement congratulating Nan Whaley on her election as Ohio’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee.

“Nan Whaley is the leader Ohio deserves with a proven track record of leading Ohio through its toughest times and helping our state come out stronger on the other side. Tonight, she makes history as the first woman to secure the gubernatorial nomination of a major political party in Ohio, cementing a strong and diverse ticket of candidates ready to show Ohio voters we’re on their side. Mayor Whaley provides a stark contrast to the corruption, incompetence and waste we’ve seen from Mike DeWine and his Republican cronies. Mayor Whaley is the candidate Ohio needs to create jobs, clean up corruption and put Ohio back on the right track,” said Chair Walters.

Mayor Whaley joins a strong, diverse ticket of Ohio Democrats ready to show Ohio voters that our candidates are laser-focused on the issues that matter to working families, in contrast to Republicans who are embroiled in the largest corruption scandal in state history and only looking out for themselves and their special interest friends.

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For Immediate Release

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Ohio Democratic Party Congratulates Judicial and Statewide Candidates on Winning Primary Elections

Strong, Diverse Ticket Ready to Show Ohioans that Democrats are on Their Side

Columbus, OH — Tonight, Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement congratulating the Democratic slate of Ohio Supreme Court and statewide candidates who won their primary elections.

“Congratulations to all of our statewide candidates on tonight’s election victories. Ohio Democrats – with our strong, diverse slate of candidates – are ready to show Ohio voters we’re on their side. While Republicans are making Ohioans pay too high a price for their ongoing corruption and incompetence, Ohio Democrats are offering a better way forward: investing in Ohio workers. We’re not taking any voter for granted, and we’re excited to hit the ground running, travel the state and offer Ohioans a better way forward,” said Chair Walters.

Learn more about the candidates here:

• Jennifer Brunner, candidate for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court
• Terri Jamison, candidate for Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court
• Marilyn Zayas, candidate for Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court
• Jeff Crossman, candidate for Attorney General
• Taylor Sappington, candidate for State Auditor
• Chelsea Clark, candidate for Secretary of State
• Scott Schertzer, candidate for State Treasurer

During the months ahead, Ohio Democrats will continue to show Ohio voters that our candidates are laser-focused on the issues that matter to working families, in contrast to Republicans who are embroiled in the largest corruption scandal in state history and only looking out for themselves and their special interest friends.

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For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Mike DeWine Would Strip Reproductive Rights The Moment Supreme Court Strikes Down

Roe v. Wade

Columbus, OH — A leaked draft opinion from the United State Supreme Court indicates the Court could overturn Roe v. Wade, and Mike DeWine is poised to strip abortion access in Ohio once that ruling is final. Just hours after Republican Representative Jean Schmidt used vile language to call pregnancy from rape an “opportunity” when speaking about her trigger ban legislation last week, DeWine’s spokesperson acknowledged DeWine would sign the dangerous bill once it passed the legislature.

The fundamental rights of all Ohioans to reproductive healthcare – including abortion and birth control – are on the line in this year’s election.

“Make no mistake: Mike DeWine is ready to rip away abortion rights in Ohio if the Supreme Court votes to overturn Roe v. Wade. Mike DeWine’s re-election would pose a very real threat to Ohioans’ fundamental rights, making this election one of the most consequential in our state’s history. Ohio Democrats will continue fighting for women’s rights to reproductive healthcare and standing up to extremists like DeWine who want to take those rights away,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Matt Keyes.

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Columbus, OH — Following a report from Politico that a conservative majority on the Supreme Court has voted to abandon decades of precedent and overturn Roe v. Wade, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement:   

“If tonight’s report is true, the fundamental rights of all Ohioans to reproductive healthcare – including abortion and birth control – are on the line in this year’s election. Tonight’s news also puts a spotlight on J.D. Vance and Jean Schmidt, extremists who have insulted survivors of sexual assault by calling rape ‘inconvenient’ and an ‘opportunity’ in their push to strip away the right to safe, legal abortion. This year’s election could not be more important and come November, Ohioans will reject these uncompromising attacks on their rights and freedom.”  

BACKGROUND: 

• Headline: J.D. Vance Defends Texas Abortion Ban, Calls Rape “Inconvenient” [Daily Beast, 9/23/21]
• Headline: Pregnancy after rape ‘an opportunity? Ohio GOP lawmaker sparks outrage in abortion debate [Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/28/22]

April 29, 2022

Happy Friday, and welcome to “Buckeye Brawl,” a weekly newsletter from the Ohio Democratic Party highlighting the nasty, chaotic, and expensive Republican primary for Senate. This out-of-control primary is making conservatives “deeply worried” about the prospects of Republicans losing this seat.
In the home stretch of one of the ugliest nominating contests in the country, these GOP candidates are injecting even more nasty personal attacks, more chaos and more money into this race. We’re here to help you keep track of all of it.

There was a lot of chaos this week, so here’s what you may have missed:

WHO’S A FRAUD? The Club for Growth and J.D. Vance and his allies are at “total war” with each other following Trump’s last-minute endorsement of Vance. This week, Club for Growth aired a new ad slamming Vance for his anti-Trump comments and saying Trump “is getting it wrong with J.D. Vance” and calling Vance a fraud. After new reporting from The New York Times’ Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns revealed Josh Mandel admitted to establishment Republicans (including Mitch McConnell’s allies) he was parroting Trump’s absurd rhetoric to court Trump and his voters, Don Jr. renewed his attacks on Mandel, calling him a “establishment RINO fraud.” If all of this sounds familiar, it’s probably because Vance spent last year talking about how he would have to “suck it up and support Trump” – and was actually recruited by Mitch McConnell to run for U.S. Senate in 2018. To paraphrase Cleveland.com columnist Brent Larkin, the only time the GOP Senate candidates are correct is when they are attacking each other.

TRASHING OHIOANS. The pro-Mandel USA Freedom Fund released a new attack ad calling J.D. Vance’s comment that he “[doesn’t] really care what happens in Ukraine” is “music to Putin’s ears.” The ad then reminds Ohioans that Vance “wrote a book trashing Ohioans as hillbillies, then sold his story to Hollywood.” Vance is also facing scrutiny for his comments in Hillbilly Elegy blaming Ohioans for their jobs being outsourced to China. Coastal elite J.D. Vance sure can’t escape his past comments.

CAVALIER AND RECKLESS. A new radio ad from Patriotic Veterans Inc. went for the jugular with Vance’s Ukraine comments. The ad says, “Well, J.D. Vance, Americans do care about what happens in Ukraine. Women being raped, children being killed, five million refugees… Your cavalier and reckless comments about the war in Ukraine show you are not ready for the U.S. Senate.” The business ties to Russia don’t help either.

FAILED CAREER POLITICIAN SQUISH. The Pro-Vance Protect Ohio Values PAC aired a new ad lambasting Mandel as a “failed career politician squish,” attacking Mandel as a “two-time loser who will sell us out” who once campaigned with the likes of Kasich, Romney, and McCain (?). The ad conveniently omits that Vance called himself a Never Trumper and was courted by Mitch McConnell to run for U.S. Senate.

CLOWNS. Political shapeshifter Silicon Valley Vance said without a single shred of self-awareness, “You never try to be someone else. You’ve got to be yourself. I think that’s one of the mistakes, by the way, that a lot of these clowns make against me in the primary. They haven’t learned anything from the substance (of) how Trump governed. They try to act like Trump, but you’re not Trump.” J.D. Vance grew a beard and changed his entire personality from Never-Trumper to Trump acolyte to further his own political career. All we can say is, takes one to know one.

GET MYSELF CANCELED. Jane Timken, somehow still running for Senate, continues to nip at the heels of the rest of the U.S. Senate candidates (bless her heart). She told Dayton 24/7 News, “I’m not going to Washington DC to try to get myself canceled on social media or make a name for myself.” True – she won’t be going to Washington D.C. at all as a U.S. Senator from Ohio!

Thanks for reading along – that’s all for the Buckeye Brawl this week. If you have questions, my email is [email protected]. Have a great weekend!

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