~The W.O.K.E. CEO
It's been months and months of talking about the midterms, and even the Biden administration re-election campaign. While all of that is super important to maintaining a democratic majority, and let's be honest, democracy in general, there are a couple of extremely contested seats open in the United States Senate and gubernatorial election.
Yes! None of my "Vote Blue No Matter Who" crowd seems to be talking about Mayor John Cranley, Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, Congressman Tim Ryan, Representative Shontel Brown, Morgan Harper, or Traci Johnson.
Not even a little "bird peep" and Prayer wish to the car salesman, Bernie Moreno, who dropped out. We've heard plenty about/from Nino Brown Turner, so let's leave that to 🌹Twitter. (I said what I said). Do you mean to tell me the Twitterati, ESP Twitter, and Blue Wave Twitter haven't been shouting about this from the rooftops? Whew! Folks will learn how big of a deal Ohio is to every election eventually, I guess. I mean, it's not Iowa, but we're right up there with the crimson best. Biden didn't win here. Trump did. If that tells you what you need to know.
So let's talk about it...
First things, first. There can be no primary without new maps drawn.
Photo Credit: Columbus Dispatch/Kyle Robertson
"Without maps for legislative or congressional districts, it is virtually impossible to hold a primary for those races on May 3", Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Tuesday. The Ohio Supreme Court rejected the SECOND attempt by map-makers in the GOP causing a complete and utter disaster in that decision.
"I can foresee almost no circumstance where it is possible to conduct the district races on May 3rd," LaRose told the USA Today Network Ohio Bureau
This is an entire shit show that could eventually cost the state millions of dollars. I mention this first because while the primary is still scheduled for May 3rd as of this writing, it is highly conceivable, according to LaRose that there's no way to get a final approval reviewed by the court and favorably passed in time. So I want you to prepare yourselves for that now and don't lose momentum when the shit hits the fan in May. All 9 Republican seats are up for reelection in a chance to flip them blue. That's motivation enough for me to keep powering through, even if we don't vote here in Ohio, until August. Pin this and Whoosah!
Now. Let's talk about the ballot and some important dates to remember.
(Disclaimer: These are important seats here, but certainly not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of every seat. Please do your diligence on the Attorney General, Auditor of State, Secretary of State, and Treasurer of State. Vote blue down the ballot. This is as clear cut for us as it's ever going to get folks.)
Ohio Governor
In a strongly held Republican State, sitting Governors rarely get criticized or primaried. COVID-19 and the pandemic changed that for Governor DeWine. We have a chance to turn Ohio back to purple. (Obama years)
His Democratic challengers are Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley and former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, both of who have been following Senator Sherrod Brown's "economic populism" footprints in the sand. Expect to hear these two candidates push for a bigger focus on employment numbers and access to health care, while still getting at the core issues many of us Ohioans feel on a local level. Do your research and vote for the one that has the bigger picture and not just your picture at his heart and core.
I have to be honest. If it weren't for the news, I wouldn't even know that DeWine was being challenged. He seems to think he can do a few interviews and show up on election day. We'll see how well that works out for him. The mask holes are not happy with him and not being visible to the rest of us speaks volumes.
In-T-Who. Moving along...
United States Senate
We're sitting on a gold mine with Rob Portman's seat. These seats don't become vacant too often, and Portman choosing to retire can give Democrats the advantage they need here.
Portman's Democratic challengers are Attorney Morgan Harper, Tech Guru/Executive Traci Johnson. Case Worker, LaShondra Tinsley was disqualified from the Democratic primary, according to BallotPedia.
Word on these Ohio streets is that Tim Ryan has this one in the bag. I do know his Twitter feed is extremely informative. Check out these two Black women candidates and decide for yourself. Their issues are similarly on par with Brown's and Ryan's.
Ohio Supreme Court, Chief Justice
Maureen O'Connor, (R) has been in her seat since 2010 and was reelected in 2016. She's leaving the bench due to Ohio's mandatory 70 year age retirement for the bench.
The Democratic challenger, Jennifer Brunner, is currently the only candidate with experience managing a statewide office in Ohio and supervising local government duties in every single county here. Check out her Criminal Sentencing Database and campaign and Judicial Integrity policies. She's someone we can get behind. If she doesn't win, and the Republican Kenndy does, Brunner will be in the Justice position. Likewise, if Sharon Kennedy loses, she will remain a justice.
Ohio Supreme Court, Justice
There are two Republicans up for re-election here, and both challengers are Democrats. Whooop! Either way, the court is a Blue Tsunami should either of them lose. Let's go!
The Democratic challengers are Appellate Judges Terri Jamison, a black woman on the Franklin County Domestic Relations/Juvenile Court, and a founding member of the Ohio Black Judges Association. Marilyn Zayas, the first Latina (woman or man) to be on Ohio's Court of Appeal, and the highest-ranking judge of this heritage. She was re-elected in her last campaign in 2018, by a landslide.
And now...the race we ARE talking about..."Living in a New Jack City-he-he-...he-he...oh yeahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Ohio 11th Congressional District
Ohio's 11th Congressional District is proudly represented by Shontel Brown (D). My girl! Yes, I'm biased. Come on. Don't do me like that. Look at the alternatives. Nina Turner (R). Not a typo and James Hemphill (R).
A special election was held last year in November where Rep. Brown defeated Laverne Gore (R) and ultimately, Nina Turner., who is now challenging her in the primary election on May 3rd.
Hemphill's districting and legislative boundaries within the state are up for a change and will be updated after the filing deadline has passed, and the official candidate list is available. The dude is a whole criminal out here. Read for yourself.
Shontel Brown has more campaign cash than Nina already. Hope that redrawn district works out for Nina. We don't take too kindly to former Senators who diss Joe Biden and suck up to BS. That's all I'm going to say on that.
Democratic candidate Shontel Brown shares a laugh with people at the Bedford Community Center in November in Bedford Heights, Ohio. Brown is running for Ohio's 11th Congressional District. Tony Dejak, Associated Press file photo)AP
Find out how you can volunteer, amplify, donate and support your candidates of choice. We have to annihilate the Republican party. Let's take the same energy the brave Ukrainians have with us to the ballot box this year.
Deadline to Register to Vote: APRIL 4, 2022
In-Person & Mail Voting in Ohio: APRIL 5, 2022
ELECTION DAY: MAY 3, 2022
Register to vote, check your registration often and read up on how to vote according to the new rules and voting regulations in place in just about every state. Ohio has a new voter ID law, which eliminates the "no-excuse" absentee voting among other things. See you at the polls!