May 2018 Ohio Primary Election Results (Statewide Races)

The state of Ohio has unofficial election results from today’s primaries up at vote.ohio.gov.  With 90% of precincts reporting, though the final vote totals may vary slightly, these are basically how the elections turned out—with margins like these, these outcomes will not change:

After all the hopes on the Democratic side that Kucinich might pull off an upset, Cordray won with a comfortable 60%, despite the crowded field (his five opponents combined got less than 40%).

Mary Taylor Closes Gap with Mike DeWine in Polls (see also update below)

In a January poll, relatively unknown Mary Taylor was 30 points behind Mike DeWine (who already had high name recognition among Ohioans) for tomorrow’s primary for governor.  In a more recent poll, Taylor had closed that gap to only 17 points.

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

Most of what follows is a series of guest posts on the governor’s race, written by fellow Ohioans.  I have not taken the time to duplicate the research and add links to all sources, but I trust the source.  If you have any doubts, I encourage you to do your own research and make up your own mind.

Anyone tired of the negative ads in the governor’s race? Maybe even confused by them? Indeed, it is not possible for them all to be true.

I thought it might be helpful for you to know how I’ve sorted through this with the help of the campaign staff, what I’ve learned, and why I am voting for and supporting Mary Taylor & Nathan Estruth for Governor and Lt. Governor. And thanks for taking the time to read this!

• Taylor vs. DeWine on Abortion/Right to Life

Taylor vs. DeWine, by the issues: taxes

This entry is part of a series of guest posts on the governor’s race.  For the rest of the series, go to:

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

On fiscal policies, Taylor and Estruth are true limited government fiscal conservatives. When a member of the Ohio House, Mary voted against a Taft tax increase incurring the rage of House leadership that subsequently kicked her off the Finance Committee. Ohio’s population has been in decline for over 15 years with neighboring states more often being the choice for businesses seeking growth opportunities. Taylor/Estruth are committed to reversing this competitive disadvantage.

Taylor vs. DeWine, by the issues: education

This entry is part of a series of guest posts on the governor’s race.  For the rest of the series, go to:

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

On Education, the Taylor/Estruth ticket is the only ticket that has committed to end Common Core, returning control to local school districts and parents. Their plan would establish basic graduation requirements of a minimum GPA, minimum ACT if college-bound, and/or a professional/vocational certification. They are also the only ticket that has pledged to veto HB 512, Governor Kasich’s current bill that consolidates additional power in the governor’s office. Please remember that Mike DeWine’s running mate Jon Husted, as Speaker of the OH House, brought Common Core to Ohio by embracing “Race to the Top”. Fundamentally, we need champions to stand with parents against the over-reach of government, and it is clear that Mary and Nathan are the clear choice to do this.

Taylor vs. DeWine, by the issues: religious freedom

This entry is part of a series of guest posts on the governor’s race.  For the rest of the series, go to:

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

On Marriage and Family, only Mary Taylor and Nathan Estruth have promised to veto HB 160, the sexual orientation/gender identity bill that puts parents and pastors and Christian ministries at risk to the homosexual agenda and lawsuits. Only Mary and Nathan have always stood for one man, one woman marriage, and only Mary and Nathan have publicly voiced their opposition to the taking of minors from parents, something recently done by a judge in Cincinnati. Mike DeWine publicly opposed the Ohio Marriage Amendment and has stated he will continue Governor Kasich’s executive order to declare protected class status based on sexual orientation — which Mary Taylor has said she will end on Day 1. Further, as Attorney General, Mike DeWine refused to stand with Christian business owners who are being persecuted for their belief in Christian marriage. DeWine refused to sign on to support the baker in the Masterpiece case at the U.S. Supreme Court and to defend the florist in the Arlene’s Flowers case in appealing to the Supreme Court, something that dozens of other state Attorney Generals did.

Taylor vs. DeWine, by the issues: abortion/right to life

This entry is part of a series of guest posts on the governor’s race.  For the rest of the series, go to:

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

On life, only Mary Taylor and Nathan Estruth have always been pro-life with no exceptions.  Mary was the only woman to co-sponsor a bill to ban abortion in Ohio, no exceptions.  Mary has said she would not only sign, but she would call for the Heartbeat bill.  While Mike DeWine has voted for some pro-life legislation, DeWine also voted for Sonia Sotomayor, Merrick Garland, and Eric Holder, and DeWine championed Judge Barrett, the Planned Parenthood judge who is the reason our tax dollars in Ohio still go to Planned Parenthood.

Mary Taylor is endorsed by the grassroots/local Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio, while Mike DeWine is endorsed by the Ohio Right to Life PAC.

Taylor vs. DeWine, by the issues: Medicaid expansion

You’ll recall that John Kasich (governor of Ohio 2011-2019) was one of the Republican governors who disappointingly chose to embrace the Obamacare expansion of Medicaid, putting thousands more in government dependency; when Ohio rejected his preferred policy, Kasich circumvented the legislature and imposed his will anyway.

Two candidates are running for the Republican nomination to replace Kasich (who is term-limited):

Mary Taylor

Gibbons vs. Renacci: U.S. Senate Republican Primary (2018, Ohio) Candidate Comparison, by the Endorsements

There are five candidates on the ballot in the primary this Tuesday seeking the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Sherrod Brown for U. S. senator from Ohio, but pollsters indicate the two who realistically have any chance of winning the nomination are Mike Gibbons and Jim Renacci.*  Here’s how they compare, according to organizations that have looked into the candidates’ records and positions on different issues:

On Immigration

Reports of John Kasich’s Popularity Greatly Exaggerated

(Editor’s note:  I was honestly going to send this as a private e-mail to the Hot Air writer Jazz Shaw, but I was unable to find an e-mail address or contact information for him anywhere on the site.  Rather than throw the letter away, I thought I might as well just publish it as an open letter here.  I’ve accordingly also added links to some of the other topics I referenced in the letter.)

Mr. Shaw,

I can’t resist (albeit belatedly) responding to your thoughts on John Kasich’s popularity (or lack thereof) last week.

In particular, you wrote, “In 2014, however, he won his second race by more than 30% and carried 86 of 88 counties. His level of general support was undeniable.”

Cruz, Kasich, and Drumpf Virtually Tied Going into Ohio Primary

This is part of the problem with the Romney strategy.  He recommended that everyone vote for whichever non-Drumpf candidate is in the lead in each state according to surveys.  It sounds good in theory, but what if two candidates are tied in the polls, or nearly tied?

The most recent poll in Ohio puts all three contenders in a virtual tie: Drumpf 33%, Kasich 33, Cruz 27, margin of error 4.4 points.

Vote Strategically in Ohio: Vote for Ted Cruz

Mitt Romney and others have urged us (anti-Trump Republican primary voters) to “vote strategically”: by voting for Rubio in Florida, Kasich in Ohio, and whoever is polling highest in each state before election day in that state.

But John Kasich is already a big part of the reason that Drumpf has won as many states as he has.

Arkansas primary results:
Drumpf 32.8%
Cruz 30.5%
Kasich 3.7%

Buckeye Institute: Cuts to Ohio’s Local Government Fund Good Policy

I’ve talked to a number of local-government officials in Ohio who are very critical of the state government’s cuts to the state Local Government Fund since Governor Kasich was elected in 2010.  Some of the criticisms are covered in this Columbus Dispatch article, for example.

Three Takeaways from Yesterday’s Election Results

(Update, November 11th, 2014:  Commemorative T-shirts now available!)

How badly did Democrats lose last night?  So badly that NPR led one story this morning with the line “There is very little upside for Democrats in yesterday’s election results.”  So badly that NPR headlined another story “Republican Candidates Swept; Democrats Wept”.  So badly that NPR jokes that we need a new word to express how bad it was.

A few thoughts:

1: No Blue State Safe

Four Reasons to Vote Today

See below

1: Obamacare

While we work toward electing a better chief executive in 2016, now is a great time to start building a Republican majority in the Senate, both to take such steps as they can in 2015 and to pass a full repeal and replacement of Obamacare in 2017.

National Review has a timely editorial on the subject: “Obamacare: Unpopular as Ever”

2014 Cincinnati Issue 11: Probably Fine

If you live in the city of Cincinnati, one issue you will be able to vote on today is an amendment to the city charter, Issue 11.  Current city councilman Kevin Flynn encourages us to vote for it.

The amendment makes these changes in the charter:

• Adds a general severability clause that says if one provision of the charter is found to be illegal or unenforceable, it does not adversely affect the remainder of the charter. It will replace the many redundant individual clauses currently scattered through the document.

2014 Conservative and Tea Party Voter Guides, Ohio and Cincinnati

(Looking for a different year’s voter guide?  Click here.)

(Looking for 2014 Conservative and Tea Party Voter Guides, U.S. House and Senate, All States?  Click here.)

(See also the case for voting for Republicans in the general election.)

Cincinnati area:

• List of “Judges Supported by Hamilton County Liberty Groups” (according to the Ohio Liberty Coalition)

• Endorsements from Cincinnati Right to Life PAC

• Thoughts on Hamilton County tax levies from Liberty Alliance Cincinnati (“dedicated to the principles of constitutionally limited government, free enterprise and fiscal responsibility”)

• Endorsements for Hamilton County from Citizens for Community Values (about CCV Action, about CCV)

• (Wondering what 2014 Cincinnati Issue 11 is about?)

Statewide:

• Endorsements from the Ohio Citizens PAC (“Supporting fiscally responsible, Constitutionally conservative candidates”)

Thomas, Winburn to Lose Pro-life Endorsements

Last week, I wondered whether Ohio Right to Life and Cincinnati Right to Life would rescind their endorsements of Cecil Thomas, after he flip-flopped on the definition of marriage.

Since then, the Cincinnati Enquirer has reported (longer article, shorter article) that Cincinnati Right to Life has rescinded its endorsements of both Mr. Thomas and Mr. Winburn (and Ohio Right to Life is considering rescinding its endorsement of Mr. Thomas) after both men started waffling on their pro-life stance.

State Senate Candidate Cecil Thomas Shamelessly Panders, Throws Marriage under the Bus

Current Cincinnati city councilman Charlie Winburn is running for Ohio state senate in district 9.  District 9 is so Democratic that incumbent Democrat state senator Eric Kearney beat the Republican challenger 68-29 in 2010 (caveat: the districts have been redrawn since then).

The very popular Charlie Winburn is said to be the only Republican who might be able to win this otherwise unwinnable district.  Kearney, reaching the end of his term limit, cannot run for re-election this year; instead, Mr. Winburn faces his former colleague, Democrat former councilman Cecil Thomas.

Both men described themselves as pro-life and pro-marriage in responses to the Cincinnati Right to Life candidate questionnaire earlier this year (read the full PDFs here: Charlie Winburn, Cecil Thomas).  Perhaps on that basis, Cincinnati Right to Life PAC has endorsed both men in this race, while Ohio Right to Life PAC has apparently endorsed only Cecil Thomas.

Right-to-life News Coming Up

Two items:

First, the Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling today on Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby, a case in which business owners (apparently “94 related cases involving 300 plaintiffs representing nearly half the states”) appeal to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA, pronounced “riff-ra”) against the Obamacare HHS mandate that they provide contraceptives to their employees for free.