The morning newsletter of the Ohio Capital Journal
Reporting for the People
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By David DeWitt | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning Ohio!
This November, Ohio’s two major parties are backing nominees for governor who’ve never held elective office before. The last time that happened was almost 100 years ago. The candidates are both promising rosy visions of the state’s future.
Ohio Democratic governor candidate Amy Acton, left. (Campaign photo). Ohio Republican governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, right. (Getty Images.)
By Nick Evans
Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Democratic candidate Amy Acton both insist the contrast between them could not be greater, and for the most part they’re right. In both their priorities, biographies, and demeanor, they offer something very different to voters. But both say they’ll reduce housing costs, health care costs, and taxes.
By Morgan Trau, WEWS
The future of public education in Ohio looks different depending on who wins the governor's race. While Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton wants to fully fund public education so districts can improve, Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said schools need to deliver results first.
By Kathiann M. Kowalski
Confusing ballot language could be the reason an Ohio county upheld a ban on renewable energy last week.
By Morgan Trau, WEWS
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has chosen Public Safety Director Andy Wilson to replace Attorney General Dave Yost, who is stepping down from office in June.
COMMENTARY
A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Shauneen Miranda, States Newsroom.)
By Richard J. Smith
Despite bipartisan efforts to expand federal student aid eligibility, Ohio imposes further restrictions on state-based funds. Male students must register for Selective Service to be eligible.
STATELINE
The big challenges and policy issues that cross state lines.
By Kevin Hardy and Jonathan Shorman
Since taking office last year, President Trump has used his office in unprecedented ways to punished Democratic-led states by withholding funding, denying disaster aid, cutting childcare and social services funding, and launching investigations.
THE RUNDOWN
News from other states
By Wesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator
Tensions erupted Friday as Louisiana Republican state lawmakers presented new election maps to eliminate one or both of Louisiana’s majority-Black congressional districts.
NATIONAL NEWS
By Jonathan Shorman
As President Trump tries to assert power over U.S. elections, he has raged on social media, cajoled Republican lawmakers and unleashed the Department of Justice on his political enemies. What has he accomplished with all that effort? Not a lot.
By Ashley Murray
The man who allegedly attacked the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last month pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court to four criminal charges, including attempting to assassinate the president of the United States.
CATCHING OUR EYE
Battleground? WFMJ’s Leslie Huff reports, “Is Ohio emerging as a battleground state again? A political expert weighs in.”
Retired professor of political science from Baldwin Wallace University, Tom Sutton believes Ramaswamy’s close ties to President Donald Trump could become a political challenge depending on how national issues develop over the coming months.
On WFMJ Weekend Today, Sutton indicated that if the war overseas continues and prices keep rising, voters could begin to shift their focus toward economic concerns heading into the fall.
At the same time, Sutton says Acton could face hurdles of her own. “With Amy Acton, her healthcare background and as a doctor is an advantage, but there are many conservatives and independents who blame her for the restrictions of COVID during 2021 and so it could go either way,” Sutton said.Court allegations. The New Republic reports, “MAGA congressman accused of beating and burning his ex-wife.”
Trump-endorsed GOP Representative Max Miller has been accused of physically abusing his ex-wife Emily Moreno—daughter of GOP Senator Bernie Moreno—for years. Miller has denied the allegations.
Court filings obtained by the Daily Mail revealed that Emily is attempting to change their custody situation due to Miller’s “dangerous physical behavior” while their 2-year-old daughter was present. Moreno stated that Miller hit her during a custody exchange with their daughter in February, bruising Moreno’s arm and torso, as shown in photos obtained by the Daily Mail. Moreno also claims that Miller threw a pot of boiling water on her in 2024 while their daughter was present.New school levies rejected. The Statehouse News Bureau’s Karen Kasler reports, “District leaders digging into data after two-thirds of school levies fail across Ohio.”
A little over a third of school levies statewide passed in Tuesday’s primary, which is half of the passage rate last May. But school officials said even with homeowners’ concerns about rising property taxes, they don’t think the two-thirds failure rate shows a voter revolt on levies.Rural cops and ICE. The Ohio Newsroom’s Kendall Crawford reports, “Rural Ohio police signed up to help ICE. But staffing shortages limit their role.”
Unlike major cities, who have been rethinking cooperation with ICE, 10 rural Ohio police departments have signed voluntary 287(g) Task Force Model agreements. These Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) allow rural police officers to aid in enforcing federal immigration law.
These kinds of partnerships have multiplied across the state since last year. Several county sheriffs have also inked agreements. A recent report from the ACLU found partnerships across 17 Ohio counties.
But, for departments in small villages, staffing challenges are limiting their participation.
THE POD
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, FOLKS.
Mahalo!
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