With Ohio’s primary behind us, focus shifts to the November election, in particular, the race for governor.
The primary did not change much. Democrat Amy Acton was unopposed, and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy easily defeated his long-shot opponent, Casey Putsch. It was already expected to be Acton versus Ramaswamy in November, and now it is official.
With six months to go, campaigns are ramping up as reporters and voters pay more attention.
To reset the scene, Mike DeWine leaves office at the end of the year. Term limits prevent him from running again. For the first time in eight years, Ohio will have a new governor. It will be someone from outside government: tech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, who briefly ran for president, or Amy Acton, who served in government for about a year. Acton famously served as Ohio health director at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she has not held elected office.
The latest polls have the two candidates tied as the summer months approach. National politicos are keeping an eye on this race. Earlier this spring, the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved the Ohio governor’s race from "Likely Republican" to "Lean Republican."
Joining us to discuss that rating and provide an Ohio native’s national look at the race, we welcome back Kyle Kondik, who serves as managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
Snollygoster of the week
While in the U.S. Senate, Sherrod Brown was not a fan of cryptocurrency. As chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, he watched as scandals hit some in the crypto industry. He said crypto firms betrayed the public interest, and when crypto allies started targeting him before the 2024 campaign, he said, "Bring them on."
They brought it. A crypto-supporting PAC spent $40 million to defeat Brown, and it worked. Brown lost to Bernie Moreno in a fairly close race.
Politico reports Brown has softened his stance on crypto as that same PAC prepares to again spend tens of millions of dollars in favor of crypto-friendly lawmakers and candidates.
The Brown campaign gave Politico this statement:
"Sherrod Brown recognizes that cryptocurrency is a part of America’s economy. He’ll keep an open mind toward all issues as they come before the Senate, and work to ensure that as more people use cryptocurrency, it expands opportunity and lifts up Ohioans."
From "bring them on" to keeping an open mind, it is a shrewd move for a one-time crypto skeptic. We will see if it keeps crypto money out of Ohio's Senate race and Brown’s challenge to Jon Husted. I doubt it, but for trying, Sherrod Brown gets our Snollygoster of the Week award.