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Columbus, OH — As more than 1 million Ohioans live without internet access in the year 2021, Ohio Senate Republicans last week cut all funding for broadband internet in their version of the state budget that passed strictly along party lines. As the last year has shown us, broadband internet access is one of the most important tools for Ohioans and Ohio businesses to stay connected. But Ohio Senate Republicans prioritized funding for a major tax break that will disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Ohioans instead of funding to help get more Ohioans connected to reliable internet service.

And not only did the GOP cut all $250 million for broadband funding in the original state budget proposal, they went even further by passing an amendment that would bar public agencies from expanding broadband internet in their local communities in favor of private companies who want to charge Ohioans more for access to the internet.

“Oh, it’s maddening,” William Murdock, Executive Director of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission said to the Columbus Dispatch about the proposal. “Looking forward, thinking our state would constrain the ability for our public, private and philanthropic partnerships, it’s maddening,” he continued.

“The past year has underscored how critical internet access is to our ability to live, work and connect with one another. While millions of Ohioans still don’t have access to the internet, Senate Republicans are leaving these Ohioans out to dry to help their corporate donors and to pay for more tax cuts for the wealthy and well-connected,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

Read more about the major GOP cuts to broadband HERE and below:

• The future of Ohio’s broadband expansion could be on the chopping block.
• The state Senate approved its version of Gov. Mike DeWine’s two-year state budget on Wednesday and killed all broadband-related funding (the House version of the budget included $190 million — a $60 million cut from DeWine’s proposed $250 million investment).
• The bill would effectively restrict public agencies’ ability to expand internet access outside of a municipality’s boundaries, advocates in rural and central Ohio said.
• Misty Crosby, director of the Buckeye Hills Regional Council, a southeast Ohio coalition of local governments that serves eight Appalachian counties, said the amendment will also limit the ability of organizations like hers to use federal funding, (including dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act) while paving the way for private internet carriers to be the sole provider in a given area.
• Murdock, the executive director of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, an agency of local governments that serves central Ohio, said 80,000 of the rural and urban constituents his organization serves lack access, and another 84,000 only have the internet on their phones, a deficit only exacerbated further by the pandemic.
• Advocates suspect lobbyists for Charter Communications, better known as Spectrum, are behind the telecommunications-friendly amendment.

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Columbus, OH — This week, two-time failed statewide candidate Jim Renacci is trying again to run for governor, viewing Mike DeWine as so weak that even he has a shot. In a preview of the messy primary to come, Renacci’s launch was focused solely on attacking DeWine, who has increasingly become the target of attacks by fellow Republicans.

Renacci has made clear that attacking DeWine will be at the center of his entire primary campaign, showing he’s not interested in representing Ohioans or their interests, but only exploiting DeWine’s weakness for his own personal gain instead. The intra-party split has gotten so bad, the Ohio Republican Party refused to even defend their sitting Governor as Renacci released an onslaught of attacks.

“Mike DeWine is in for a long year of attacks from all sides as an increasingly weak and vulnerable governor. Republican candidates like Jim Renacci will continue to stoop lower and lower to try to gain attention and serve their own interests rather than the interests of Ohio voters. Meanwhile, while Republicans are busy dragging each other down, Democrats are putting Ohio back on the road to recovery and showing voters we’re on their side,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

See more coverage below of this week’s launch that serves as only a small sampling of the attacks and mudslinging to come:

WEWS: Jim Renacci’s campaign to unseat Gov. Mike DeWine to focus on handling of pandemic

‘“I jumped in that race because I didn’t think Mike DeWine was the person who could change our state and three and half years later he’s proven that,’ Renacci told News 5 after launching his challenge of DeWine for the 2022 nomination.

“Renacci made it clear at the center of the campaign will be DeWine’s handling of the pandemic and the shutdown of the state.”

Cincinnati.com: Former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci announces campaign for Ohio governor, challenging incumbent Gov. Mike DeWine

“Renacci, 62, of Wadsworth, is banking on Republicans’ anger toward DeWine, who closed businesses, schools and even the polls to slow the spread of COVID-19. 

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“DeWine’s hold on the GOP electorate has some cracks. Conservative activists have protested DeWine’s health orders outside his Cedarville home. DeWine’s running mate Jon Husted was booed at a then-President Donald Trump rally for recommending masks. A Republican lawmaker even tried to impeach DeWine.”

WVXU: Analysis: Could Mike DeWine’s Re-election Bid Be Doomed By His Fellow Republicans?

“So how concerned should DeWine be about all of this opposition within his own party?

‘“I do think he is in trouble,” said David Niven, professor of political science at the University of Cincinnati. ‘Mainly because of the degree to which the firmament beneath his feet has changed.’”

Toledo Blade: Jim Renacci jumps into Ohio governor’s race

“Mr. Renacci, who ran nursing homes and car dealerships before winning a U.S. House of Representatives seat in 2010, made the announcement on a Cleveland radio station in the afternoon.

‘“Ohioans can’t afford four more years of Mike DeWine as their governor,’ Mr. Renacci said in a statement afterward. ‘We have seen what failed leadership can do to a once prosperous state. DeWine’s tenure as governor will be defined as the worst period in Ohio’s long and rich history. Corruption, indictments, low job creation, shutdowns, rampant crime and more scandals — that is DeWine’s legacy. He’s more interested in being the Andrew Cuomo of Ohio rather than actually helping everyday Ohioans.’”

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Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democrats marked Pride month as the fight for fairness and equality continues even today. On a virtual press conference, Democrats spoke out against hateful anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that has been introduced by the Republican legislature, as well as pushed for the Ohio Fairness Act, a bill that would help protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans from discrimination.

“Even today, in 2021, Ohioans can be fired from their job because of their sexual orientation. Or face housing discrimination because of who they love. That’s not right. Our bill would make it illegal to discriminate against someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, in housing and in public accommodations. Fairness and equality are more than just good words to use in speeches, they’re very real goals we’re striving toward with legislation like the Ohio Fairness Act,” said Senate Assistant Minority Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood).

“Our state is facing a variety of critical issues, including the ongoing pandemic, a lack of access to basic services like broadband and soaring healthcare costs. But instead of finding solutions to those very real problems, Ohio Republicans are prioritizing punishing trans youth who want to play sports.  If we’re serious about finally achieving equality in this state and in this country, we have to fight against discrimination wherever and whenever it shows up,” said Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin (D-Columbus).

“At a time when we should be making it easier for LGBTQ+ Ohioans to live, work and raise their families here in Ohio, the legislation we’re seeing come out of the statehouse takes our state in the wrong direction. If we’re serious about making our state more competitive and encouraging our young people to stay here, we should create laws that reflect values like equality, fairness and dignity,” said Pat Deering, Vice President of Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio.

The Ohio Fairness Act, sponsored by Senator Antonio, would help combat discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations by making it illegal to discriminate against Ohioans based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

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DeWine Under Pressure as Republicans Reject His Agenda & He’s Too Weak to Do Anything About It

Columbus, OH — Today, the Ohio Democratic Party released the following statement on provisions inserted into the Ohio Senate budget by GOP politicians that cut key funding for Ohio priorities like broadband internet, healthcare and public schools all to pay for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Ohioans. The budget passed today along a party line vote.

Senate Republicans also inserted a strictly political provision into the budget that would list party affiliation on ballots for the Supreme Court and state appeals court, a push that gained steam in the GOP-controlled legislature after recent success by Democrats in Supreme Court races. The provision has been panned by members of both parties, including Republican Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor.

Senate Republicans are once again putting Mike DeWine in an increasingly tough spot: sensing DeWine’s weakness, GOP legislators continue to cut his budget priorities but DeWine doesn’t have the Republican support or the moral courage to do anything about it.

“Budgets reflect priorities, and the Senate GOP’s priorities are wrong for working Ohioans. Rather than investing in critical needs like broadband, healthcare or public education, Senate Republicans would rather give yet another tax break to their wealthy friends and donors. Mike DeWine will soon face a choice: will he reject these radical provisions and risk more Republican attacks or will he cave to the extreme members of his party once again,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

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Columbus, OH — Today, two-time statewide loser Jim Renacci announced another bid for Ohio Governor, forcing Mike DeWine into a tough primary and deepening the divisions within the Republican party that spell trouble for the embattled Governor. DeWine is increasingly under attack by fellow Republicans and struggling to find a base of support both inside and outside of his own party.

“Jim Renacci flew across the state in a private plane owned by a strip club owner, and still has a shot in a Republican primary against Mike DeWine. The fact that Renacci is even in this race says a lot about the amount of support left for Mike DeWine in Ohio,” said Matt Keyes, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.

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