Ohio Voters Reject GOP Attack on Democracy

“Yesterday was an important victory for our state, the voters of Ohio and the principle of majority rule. Ohio Democrats were proud to play our part in stopping this political power grab by out-of-touch politicians at the statehouse – most notably Frank LaRose, who made himself the face of this effort and is now officially Ohio’s biggest loser. But our work is far from over.  Together, with the majority of Ohioans who believe in protecting reproductive rights, we’ll tell corrupt politicians trying to strip away our freedoms and pass a total abortion ban: we won’t go back.” 

Yesterday, Ohio voters overwhelmingly rejected an effort by Republican lawmakers and special interests to change the state’s constitutional amendment process. 

The measure was a blatant attempt to weaken voters’ voices and part of Republicans’ agenda to erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions. 

Last night’s results build on Democrats’ momentum following the 2022 midterms. Democrats have overperformed partisan lean by an average of 10% in 38 special elections held so far this year. A few examples:

• Wisconsin: Liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz won the Wisconsin Supreme Court race by 11 points, outperforming all statewide Democrats’ 2022 margins. In Wisconsin’s 24th Assembly District, Democrat Bob Tatterson lost by just 7 points in a district where Republicans have a 22-point edge.
• VA-04: Democrat Jennifer McClellan defeated Republican nominee Leon Benjamin by 50 points in a D+16 district.
• Florida: Democrat Donna Deegan’s win in Jacksonville marked just the second time Democrats have won a mayor’s race in the city in the last 30 years. She won by four points in a city that Ron DeSantis won by 11 in 2022. 
• Tennessee: Democrat Justin Jones defeated Republican Lauren Nelson by 55 points in a district a Democrat won by 44 in 2020. 
• Kentucky: Democratic state Senate candidate Cassie Chambers Armstrong won by 54 points in a district that a Democrat won by 23 points in 2016.

State Issue 1 was a power grab designed to give special interests and politicians more power while silencing Ohioans. By voting no, Ohioans made it clear that they want to be heard and do not want their rights taken away.

FRANK LAROSE, A CANDIDATE IN OHIO‘S REPUBLICAN SENATE PRIMARY, IS THE BIGGEST LOSER OF STATE ISSUE 1. 

LaRose put himself at the center of State Issue 1 – making himself the chief campaigner for an effort designed to silence Ohioans – and lost.

In the process, LaRose made a series of mistakes that hurt him:

• LaRose was caught admitting the quiet part out loud: that this election is “100 percent” about abortion – earning him criticism from primary opponent Bernie Moreno.
• LaRose went so far as to take the debate stage to defend State Issue 1 in his first week as a Senate candidate, where he was mocked and jeered by Ohioans.
• LaRose opened himself up to ethics complaints and concerns raising questions about his close ties to State Issue 1.
• LaRose proved that he would rather focus on advancing his political ambitions than doing the job taxpayers pay him to do:
• While campaigning for State Issue 1, LaRose sent the incorrect ballot language out to all Boards of Elections days before the absentee ballot deadline – potentially costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. 
• Days before the election, LaRose sent the wrong election date out to poll workers and his office had to scramble to get the adequate number of poll workers.

In the process of tying himself to State Issue 1, LaRose suffocated his Senate campaign launch and was criticized by Republicans – pouring gasoline on the Ohio Senate primary infighting. 

Bernie Moreno has criticized LaRose for saying the quiet part out loud that the August election is “100%” about abortion. 

• Republicans have admitted they were frustrated by LaRose’s mistake and proponents of Issue 1 have admitted that the focus on abortion has not been helpful. 

Last week in a “hail mary pass to save his political career,” LaRose called on his primary opponents to donate to the Yes on 1 campaign to pull them closer to State Issue 1. 

• The move ignited infighting amongst the field – with Bernie Moreno’s campaign responding and criticizing LaRose for being more focused on his political ambitions than his job.

THE BIG PICTURE FOR OHIO’S SENATE RACE: 

Sherrod is uniquely qualified to win in Ohio because he always does what’s right for Ohioans and focuses on workers and the Dignity of Work. That’s why he opposed this power grab. 

• Sherrod has always stood up to special interests and the rich and powerful to level the playing field for Ohioans – tonight, Ohioans sent a clear message that that’s exactly what they want from their elected officials.

All of the Republican candidates running against Sherrod Brown supported State Issue 1 – making it clear they are not with Ohioans, are on the side of special interests, and are anti-abortion.