Ohio Politics & News
Ohio news from The Daily Signal, covering state politics, voting law battles, industrial policy, and the Buckeye State’s pivotal role in national elections and conservative strategy.
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news
Ohio Republicans on the Death Penalty: The General Assembly ‘Has Already Spoken’
Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday revealed his stance on the death penalty, ruffling the feathers of many Ohio Republicans in the process. “I believe Ohio should abolish the death penalty. The Legislature could take this action, and I think they should take this action,” the governor said during a press conference. DeWine, a Republican leader… -
analysis
Ohio Group Demands Action on Mail-Order Abortion Pills: ‘This Is About Law and Order’
As scrutiny surrounds the abortion pill, the Center for Christian Virtue is calling on U.S. attorneys in Ohio to use federal law to take action against mail-order distribution. Aaron Baer, president of the organization, cited the Comstock Act in his letters to Dominick Gerace, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and David Toepfer,… -
news
Ohio Cracks Down on CDLs for Foreign-Born Drivers
Amid federal scrutiny and concerns about commercial driver’s licenses being in the hands of unqualified drivers, Ohio is cracking down on CDLs for those drivers not born in the United States. The CDLs of 1,200 foreign-born drivers will be downgraded to a Class D by the state for failing to adequately meet standards proving they… -
analysis
Deal With the Cleveland Clinic Better Protects Minors
Ohio continues to protect children from transgender procedures. Recently, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation reached a settlement with the Department of Justice and the Ohio attorney general involving detransition care and billing practices. A press release from the DOJ references agreements that include “a decades-long commitment to not perform or offer sex-rejecting procedures—which includes the administration… -
news
Ohio Group Gets Visit From FBI Over Voter Fraud Investigation
The Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a group focused on voter registration, criminal, and economic justice was raided by the FBI Thursday in connection with a voter fraud investigation. On Friday morning, Statehouse News Bureau’s Jo Ingles posted on X that she spoke with OCC board member Prentiss Haney, who indicated that FBI agents came to their… -
news
Agreement on Data Centers Falters as Ohio Lawmakers Go on Recess
While the Ohio Legislature has made strides this week in key areas before summer recess, it was unable to come to an agreement on the hot-button issue of data centers. Lawmakers have been debating the level of regulation and tax breaks for data centers, while a joint committee is also studying the effects of data… -
news
Voter ID Gets Major Mail-In Ballot Boost From Ohio Legislature
The Ohio Legislature passed a bill that would require photo ID to be submitted starting in 2027 for absentee voters’ mail-in ballots. That’s in addition to what’s coming this November, when voters get the opportunity to enshrine Ohio’s current voter ID law into the state constitution. If Gov. Mike DeWine signs House Bill 472 into… -
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Reactions to ‘Teen Takeover’ Forcing Cancellation of Church Festival in Columbus Suburb
The wealthy Columbus, Ohio, suburb of Bexley was hit with a nasty surprise over the weekend when a “teen takeover” swarmed St. Catharine’s Catholic Church’s FunFest. An estimated 500 to 800 teens attended the festival, and although most were peaceful, a series of fights broke out that forced cancellation of the event for the rest… -
news
Trump Speaks on Ohio Voter ID
With Senate Joint Resolution 10 on voter ID having passed the Ohio Senate last week, and a similar resolution expected to come up for a vote on Wednesday in the House, President Donald Trump took to social media to promote the effort. “Democrats fought hard against this, presumably so they can CHEAT,” Trump posted Monday… -
news
Ohio, Feds Ramp Up Joint Fight Against Fraud
Last Thursday, members of President Donald Trump’s administration met in Columbus, Ohio, to discuss the Buckeye State’s ongoing fight against fraud. Ohio is the first state in the country to share corporate registration records with the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Detection Center, granting investigators immediate access to important information. The announcements made last week… -
opinion
About the Media Freakout on Voter ID in Ohio
Polling from both Heritage Action and Honest Election Project Action has shown voter ID to be extremely popular among Ohioans. Yet the Republican effort to enshrine voter ID into the state constitution is being called out by many in local mainstream media. Republicans Push Enshrining Voter ID in State Constitution First, where the effort stands… -
exclusive
AFP Action Continues to Fight for Sen. Jon Husted Ahead of Special Election in Ohio
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—With the midterms less than five months away, Americans for Prosperity Action is engaged in another ad campaign in support of Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, ahead of his special election. Husted, who was appointed to office by Gov. Mike DeWine in January 2025 to replace Vice President JD Vance, is facing… -
analysis
Is Project 2029 Democrats’ Revenge Tour 2.0?
Nationwide, Americans are struggling with affordability, public safety, and government waste—and Democrats’ big, bold solution is a revenge tour against President Donald Trump. During a Thursday on NewsNation’s “Katie Pavlich Tonight,” Daily Signal Senior Political and Legal Analyst Mehek Cooke argued that the Democratic Party’s new agenda, “Project 2029,” focuses more on opposing Trump than… -
news
Ohio Officials Testify Before Fraud Task Force
The House Oversight Committee task force, led by Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, met on Wednesday to study Medicaid fraud in Ohio. Lawmakers heard from The Daily Wire’s Luke Rosiak, as well as Ohio Auditor Keith Faber and state Rep. Mike Dovilla. The hearing also saw a simple question from Gill nearly bring a Ohio lawmaker… -
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‘NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT’: Mehek Cooke Says Ohio Lacked the Political Will to Confront Medicaid Fraud
On Tuesday, Mehek Cooke, Daily Signal’s senior national security & legal analyst, testified at a hearing examining fraud within Ohio’s Medicaid system. This transcript of Cooke’s testimony has been slightly edited for clarity. Opening Statement Thank you very much for the opportunity to testify to strengthen Ohio’s Medicaid funding system so that we could prevent fraud. I… -
exclusive
EXCLUSIVE: Poll Shows Ohio Voters Support Voter ID Amendment
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—With this week’s passage of Senate Joint Resolution 10 in the state Senate, Ohioans are that much closer to voting on a ballot initiative this November that will enshrine photo voter ID into the state constitution. The passage of SJR 10, with the state House also set to vote on such… -
exclusive
DOJ FRAUD CHIEF: Fraudsters Should Fear a 6 A.M. Knock on the Door
In an exclusive interview, Daily Signal legal analyst Mehek Cooke discussed with Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald why the Justice Department launched its inaugural state partnership roundtable in Ohio, how data sharing could help investigators identify fraudsters who target multiple government programs, and why other states should join the effort. This transcript has been slightly… -
news
Ohio Auditor Praised for Anti-Fraud Efforts
As Ohio officials crack down on fraud, their hard work has not gone unnoticed. The State Financial Officers Foundation, in a recent update celebrating highlights from the month of May, touted the success of its spring meeting and praised state officials who are making government more efficient and less vulnerable to fraud. Among the officials… -
analysis
‘Most Stringent’ Voter ID Effort to Make Moves in Ohio
The Ohio Senate is expected to take up a vote in the coming days on a resolution that could produce one of the strongest voter ID laws in the country. “If this is passed by the voters, this will be the most stringent voter ID law in the country,” state Sen. Jane Timken, the sponsor… -
news
Group Calls on Cleveland to End Race-Based Contract Programs
The Center Square—A nonprofit, Ohio-based think tank is demanding that Cleveland end what the organization calls its race-based contracting programs, saying they are “unconstitutional and discriminatory.” “It has now been more than a year since the city of Cleveland publicly recognized that it must abandon its unconstitutional race-based programs,” David C. Tryon, director of litigation at the…