As always, if you have any tips, comments, or questions, I’d love to hear them. You can reach me at 614-981-1422, avery.kreemer@coxinc.com or @AveryKreemer on X. You can also follow our political coverage on our website and through our Ohio Politics Facebook page.
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J.D. Vance’s VP chance
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
• The story: J.D. Vance, a Middletown native, a former never-Trumper, an autobiographer in “Hillbilly Elegy” and an Ohio U.S. Senator for the past two years, accepted his formal nomination for vice president on the Republican ticket Wednesday night after being hand-picked by former President Donald Trump.
• His case: As the Associated Press reports, 39-year-old Vance’s acceptance speech slated himself as a man of humble beginnings who promises to fight for what he calls the forgotten communities in the Rust Belt and throughout America. “I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from,” Vance told the crowd at the RNC.
• Local reactions: Vance’s pick, and the spotlight being shone on a prominent Ohio Republican, has brought glee to many within Ohio’s GOP, as reported by Rick McCrabb. But there are still mixed emotions about it in Middletown, where one city council member is “excited that we can be a city that helped raise this guy,” while another fears “the rhetoric that he spouts out of his mouth,” as reported by Mike Pitman.
• His story: For more on Vance and what has shaped him, here’s a profile written by Rick McCrabb.
Investigations underway after Trump assassination attempt; locals react
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
• The story: Former President Donald Trump was hit in the ear by a bullet shot by a lone gunman at a Pennsylvania political rally on Saturday, leaving the country questioning how an individual was able to come so close to taking out a former American president and a major party’s presidential nominee.
• Strange behavior: The would-be assassin was killed from his perch on a nearby sloped roof within seconds of opening fire, but not before he wounded the former president, killed an attendee and seriously injured various other rally-goers. Fact-finding after the chaos cleared revealed that the gunman had been seen scoping the area with a range finder, which caught the attention of security, before disappearing. He could later be seen on top of the roof, which drew attention from onlookers.
• The investigations: As the Associated Press reports, multiple investigations have been launched, both into the crime itself and how law enforcement allowed it to happen. It’s becoming increasingly clear this was a complicated failure involving multiple missteps and at least nine local and federal law enforcement divisions that were supposed to be working together.
• Local reaction: Saturday’s somber news led to Republicans and Democrats alike casting prayers and best wishes for Trump, his rally attendees and the country at large. Despite no official word on the shooter’s motives, Vance and others, including local Ohio Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miami Twp., added their belief that the attempt on Trump’s life could be linked back to Biden’s choice of rhetoric, according to our reporting. “Joe Biden has used horrible rhetoric to vilify President Trump, and this attack is a direct result of Biden’s unacceptable words,” Antani wrote in a statement.
Local political news of the week
• New Lebanon, ongoing saga: Staff turnover continued months after a mass exodus of village officials in New Lebanon. Most recently, Aimee Hancock reported that it was acting Police Chief Jim Chambers, who was appointed to the position after the March firing of former Chief Curtis Hensley, who has been ousted by village leadership.
• Centerville continues pause on Antani ouster: For a second time, Centerville City Council planned a resolution calling for the resignation of State Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miami Twp., but then withdrew it. This time, the city cited the political chaos of the past week. Eric Schwartzberg reports that the city plans to focus on healing now and address the issue later.
• Centerville’s gas station freeze: The city did, however, approve a yearlong pause on permits to open new gas stations, convenience stores and small-box discount stores in order to give the city time to update its land-use goals and policies, Eric Schwartzberg reports.
State political news of the week
• Local, state GOP in Milwaukee: A sheriff, state senators, Gov. Mike DeWine and his wife, Fran, and various other locals are part of the area’s representation in the Ohio delegation at the Republican National Convention this week, Lynn Hulsey reports. The delegates helped nominate Donald Trump as the GOP’s presidential candidate earlier this week, and Trump will accept the nomination tonight in this year’s RNC finale.
• Ohio may hit back at SLAPPs: Ohio is a few steps away from enacting a new bill that sponsors say would protect First Amendment rights by giving Ohio courts the “long overdue” power to sooner toss aside frivolous and expensive court cases that have come to be known as strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP suits. Here’s my report.
• Gender-affirming care fight: The state of Ohio is defending its new gender-affirming care ban for minors in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas this week against two Ohio families of transgender youth who are set to argue that House Bill 68 is harmful and unconstitutional. Here’s my brief rundown of the case, which is expected to conclude Friday.
National political news of the week
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
• For now, Democrats trudge forward with Biden: Recent reporting from the Associated Press found that the Democratic National Committee is moving ahead with its plan to virtually nominate President Joe Biden as the party’s official presidential nominee ahead of the party’s in-person convention this August amid mounting pressure. Here’s my story on the issue.
• ‘I’m sick’: President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and is experiencing “mild symptoms” including “general malaise” from the infection, the White House said. He’ll self isolate in his Delaware home, the Associated Press reports.
• If Trump wins, who fills Vance’s seat?: A November win for former President Donald Trump would bring some upheaval to Ohio’s Senate representation. My story on the matter explains that Ohio’s Republican Gov. Mike DeWine would get to pick an eligible replacement, who’d serve until December 2026; while Ohio voters would decide who gets to finish out the term in a November 2026 election.