The Issues: Ohio's governor candidates

Ohio faces serious issues, and the governor will have a big say in how much you are taxed, who is covered by Medicaid, how much you pay for college and whether the state should embrace gay marriage, medical marijuana and abortion rights. In the absence of a public debate, the Dayton Daily News sat down with both major party candidates, Republican John Kasich and Democrat Ed FitzGerald to get their views on the economic, political and social issues facing the state. Kasich and FitzGerald agree on some issues, such as support for capital punishment, but there is little common ground in other areas, giving Ohioans a clear choice on Nov. 4.

Ed FitzGerald

ED FITZGERALD

  John Kasich

JOHN KASICH

Pro-abortion rights Abortion Anti-abortion
Favors Capital punishment Favors
Favors Gay marriage Opposes
Favors medical marijuana Marijuana legalization Opposes
Supports higher standards and funding to implement locally; opposes overreliance on standardized testing Common Core Supports higher standards with local control
Opposes Right to work Says it's not on his agenda; has favored it in the past
Help students manage debts; consider state loans; expand Cuyahoga County program that seeds a college fund for every kindergartener College costs Says construction reform lowered building costs; credits transfer more easily from community college to 4-year schools; HS students take college classes
Reverse freeze on renewable energy mandates; focus economic development on clean and renewable energy industry Renewables & energy efficiency Supported freeze on renewable energy standards and expanding setbacks on wind turbine locations
Keep it but add transparency and more focus on small business JobsOhio Says the private agency has brought jobs to Ohio and the Miami Valley
Favors progressive tax system; opposes further cuts at expense of local government services Tax changes Supports further reductions in income tax
Supports Medicaid expansion Pushed it through in 2013; will argue for its extension in 2015
Calls cuts a disinvestment in economy; would boost funding to local governments and schools Local government funding Says locals survived state cuts and tightened their belts
Opposes privatization; supports state funding for local jails and community alternatives for non-violent offenders Prisons Supports funding local community alternative programs; improving drug treatment options; and privatizing some prisons and food service
  • Abortion

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Pro-abortion rights
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Anti-abortion
  • Capital punishment

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Favors
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Favors
  • Gay marriage

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Favors
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Opposes
  • Marijuana legalization

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Favors medical marijuana
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Opposes
  • Common core

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Supports higher standards and funding to implement locally; opposes overreliance on standardized testing
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Supports higher standards with local control
  • Right to work

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Opposes
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Says it's not on his agenda; has favored it in the past
  • College costs

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Help students manage debts; consider state loans; expand Cuyahoga County program that seeds a college fund for every kindergartener
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Says construction reform lowered building costs; credits transfer more easily from community college to 4-year schools; HS students take college classes
  • Renewables & energy efficiency

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Reverse freeze on renewable energy mandates; focus economic development on clean and renewable energy industry
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Supported freeze on renewable energy standards and expanding setbacks on wind turbine locations
  • JobsOhio

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Keep it but add transparency and more focus on small business
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Says the private agency has brought jobs to Ohio and the Miami Valley
  • Tax changes

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Favors progressive tax system; opposes further cuts at expense of local government services
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Supports further reductions in income tax
  • Medicaid expansion

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Supports
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Pushed it through in 2013; will argue for its extension in 2015
  • Local government funding

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Calls cuts a disinvestment in economy; would boost funding to local governments and schools
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Says locals survived state cuts and tightened their belts
  • Prisons

    Ed FitzGerald

    FitzGerald

    Opposes privatization; supports state funding for local jails and community alternatives for non-violent offenders
    John Kasich

    Kasich

    Supports funding local community alternative programs; improving drug treatment options; and privatizing some prisons and food service

Candidate interviews

Kasich and FitzGerald appeared on special editions of WHIO Reports in successive weeks in October. Interviewed by Laura Bischoff of the Dayton Daily News and Jim Otte of WHIO-TV, the candidates discussed their stances on issues.

  • ED FITZGERALD

  • JOHN KASICH

Reporting: Laura Bischoff and Lynn Hulsey | Design: Kyle Nagel | Source: Dayton Daily News research | Published: Oct. 26, 2014