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Husted to trucker getting crushed by diesel prices: “What do you think about Iran being a nuclear power?”

COLUMBUS, OHIO — In two new interviews, Jon Husted dismissed concerns from Ohioans getting crushed by skyrocketing gas prices because of the war in Iran he supports: 

• When a truck driver asked about soaring diesel costs, Husted brushed him off and responded by asking if he was comfortable with Iran being a nuclear power. 

• When asked what he was doing to address rising costs for his constituents, Husted responded: “What do you want me to do?” 

WATCH HERE:

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted could not be more out of touch with Ohioans who are getting crushed by soaring gas and diesel prices because of the endless war he supports. Instead of actually working to lower costs, Husted is backing more money for war overseas while insulting his constituents and lecturing Ohioans to work harder.”

The Husted-backed war in Iran is crushing Ohio families and farmers:

• Ohioans are being hit by soaring gas prices, and farmers are getting crushed by rising diesel and fertilizer costs, which will raise the price of groceries.

• Jon Husted has voted eight times to continue the war in Iran while costs continue to skyrocket.

• Jon Husted has claimed that he thinks the war is “good news for the global economy” and going “much better than anyone thought it would.”

• When asked about the pain that Ohio families are feeling at the pump, Jon Husted’s campaign “declined to comment.”

• Jon Husted continues to insult struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and consistently dismisses the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to fix their “work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

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REPORTING: Husted Took $116,892 From Les Wexner, Including A Max Donation Just A Few Weeks Before Blocking Epstein Files Release

Husted Continues to Dodge Questions From Ohioans Who Deserve Accountability

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO — Today, Ohioans in Youngstown called out Senator Jon Husted for taking more than $116,000 directly from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, including a maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of the Epstein files. 

The rally in Youngstown comes as Husted continues to dodge questions and accountability after voting against the release of the Epstein files. Last week, Husted ran away from a reporter when asked why he accepted money from an Epstein co-conspirator. 

Ohioans have also protested Husted outside his Columbus and Toledo offices, and Husted was called out for being a “pedophile protector” at an event in Norwalk. Husted is the only Senator up for re-election to take Wexner’s money, and has taken 10 times as much money from the Epstein co-conspirator than any other sitting Senator.

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Husted continues dodging basic questions that Ohioans deserve answered

COLUMBUS, OHIO — In a new interview, Jon Husted was asked why he took more than $116,000 directly from Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, including a maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of the Epstein files. Instead of answering, Husted ran away. 

WATCH HERE:

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“It’s no surprise that Jon Husted literally ran away when asked why he took more $116,000 from an Epstein co-conspirator, including a maximum legal donation just weeks before voting against releasing the Epstein files. Ohioans deserve answers about why Husted took the money, voted to protect his billionaire donor, and continues to run away from accountability.”

As a reminder, Jon Husted is the only Senator up for re-election to take Wexner’s money, and has taken 10 times as much money from the Epstein co-conspirator as any other sitting Senator. Wexner’s name appears in the released Epstein files more than 4,000 times.

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COLUMBUS, OHIO — New reporting shows that Jon Husted hired an opioid and utilities lobbyist as a “senior advisor” in his office. The report reveals that before joining Husted’s office, the lobbyist’s clients “made millions” off the House Bill 6 scandal, which resulted in a billion dollar bailout for utilities that’s contributing to families paying thousands of dollars more on their energy bills.

As a reminder, Jon Husted remains at the center of the massive FirstEnergy corruption scandal, with new reporting from the Associated Press revealing Husted’s ties to be much deeper than previously known.

See For Yourself: 

Ohio Capital Journal: Top Husted aide lobbied for Ohio utility that profited from corrupt law

• When Husted reached the Senate five years later, one of his first moves was to hire as a top advisor a longtime utility lobbyist. 

• The lobbyist’s client made millions off the scheme at the heart of the 2020 utility scandal. The same lobbyist had also represented a massive drug wholesaler that had paid out millions to settle claims that it had negligently distributed vast amounts of opioids in addiction-ravaged Ohio.

• Husted’s decision to hire the lobbyist, Sean Dunn, has some questioning whether average Ohioans’ welfare is Husted’s top priority.

• “It’s tone deaf because he’s an elected official who doesn’t see how cozy relationships can compromise his decision making,” said Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, which advocates for accountable government. “Or he sees a benefit to these very cozy relationships.”

• According to disclosures filed with the Ohio Lobbying Activity Center, Dunn began lobbying for AES in 2009 and did so until February 2025.

• During that time, Dunn lobbied the state legislature and the executive branch on numerous measures relating to Ohio House Bill 6, the 2019 law that was the product of what one federal prosecutor said was “likely the largest bribery and money-laundering scheme ever in the state of Ohio.”

• In addition to Dunn’s ties to AES, he also lobbied on behalf of Dublin-based Cardinal Health, one of the three largest prescription-drug wholesalers in the United States. Dunn’s engagement with the company ran from 2009 to 2019.

• Federal enforcement actions and government lawsuits against the drug wholesaler alleged that Cardinal frequently ignored “blatantly suspicious orders” as it shipped billions of opioid pills into Ohio and other U.S. states.

• Disclosures also show that Dunn made $895,000 in the 15 months before he joined Husted’s team and was owed between $1 million and $5 million by his old firm. 

• Husted’s office was asked what the senator was doing to relieve the affordability crisis, and to explain his decision to hire as a top advisor someone who’d grown wealthy lobbying on behalf of some of the industries driving the crisis.

• It didn’t answer.

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Husted: “People living in poverty are just not very, they’re not very experienced at navigating the real world”

LIMA, OHIO — Today, Ohioans in Lima gathered for the sixth stop of Husted’s Real World Tour, calling out Jon Husted for his out of touch attacks on hardworking families.

Ohioans are already struggling with high grocery and utility prices because of Jon Husted’s corruption, and the skyrocketing cost of gas caused by the Husted-backed Iran war is forcing families to cut back even more. Instead of working to lower costs, Jon Husted has insulted struggling Ohioans as “not very experienced at navigating the real world” and dismissed the mounting affordability crisis by telling Ohioans to fix their “work ethic” and to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

“I was born and raised on the south end of town where mom and dad had to work very hard to get where they are. Jon Husted’s comments about struggling people not knowing how to ‘navigate the real world’ are disappointing. These are people waking up every day, doing everything they can do to survive in an economy that has become much harder. Jon Husted is the one who’s out of touch,” said Lima City Council President Jamie Dixon. 

“Jon Husted has caused the problems that make it harder to navigate the real world. The problem is, Husted led the charge to give utility companies billion dollar tax breaks while everyday families struggled to pay the bills. On the way home last night, I saw gas at over $5 a gallon. Husted also voted nine times to increase health care premiums. Jon Husted, you’re the one that’s out of touch,” said Jeff Adams, President of UAW Local 1219.

“Jon Husted is telling Ohioans to have a better work ethic. I still go out and work. I still go do community service. Jon Husted needs to understand that — that we’re not lazy, and we’re not trying to beat the system,” said Jeff Givans, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives. 

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