Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast

The race for Ohio governor is heating up.

The Democrat running for governor is doing her best to stay away from any kind of socialist label. She has taken some moderate stances in recent weeks.

What lessons can Ohio Democrats, or Ohio politicians in general, learn from Abdul El-Sayed's far-left progressive victory in that state's Senate primary?

Emily Moreno, in court filings, accuses Miller of physically abusing her and their 2-year-old daughter. Miller denies the allegations and says his ex-wife has mental health issues.

Next to rising gas prices and grocery prices, property taxes have loomed as the symbol of affordability in Ohio. Thanks to rising property values and voter-approved levies, property taxes have risen sharply in Ohio over the last few years.

With an open governor's seat and control of the U.S. Senate at stake, candidates running for major office in Ohio this year are attracting lots of donations.

This week, we discuss the race for the U.S. Senate and Sherrod Brown’s slightly risky new ad, where he takes on Jon Husted and data centers.

WOSU hosted a Politics and a Pint event last week. These events are a lot of fun. We get together at a Columbus-area brewpub and talk politics in front of a crowd of political junkies and public media fans.

DeWine’s change in position seems little more than symbolic. Republican leaders in the Legislature support the death penalty. There is no movement ready to put it on the ballot.

Gov. Mike DeWine has come out against Ohio’s death penalty. This week, the conservative Republican governor, who co-sponsored the bill that reinstated capital punishment in 1981, said Ohio should abolish it.

The effort to abolish Ohio property taxes has failed – at least for now. The group collecting signatures to put an amendment on November’s ballot says it has fallen short of the number needed to qualify.

For weeks, DeWine has faced criticism from his fellow Republicans over allegations of widespread fraud in the state’s Medicaid system. It started with a report in the conservative outlet The Daily Wire, which accused home health agencies of fraudulently billing the system that pays for healthcare for low-income and disabled people.

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.

The candidates are set for Ohio's general election in November. There were no big surprises in this week’s primary.

An important election is just around the corner. Ohio will elect a new governor and decide who will represent the state in the U.S. Senate. A new poll provides a snapshot of what voters are thinking, and the results are interesting.

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is out with a new ad where his wife shows off their new baby. In another ad, he goes after Democrat Amy Acton for her role in the COVID-19 shutdowns.

We look back at a time when Ohio was blue politically, or at least purple. We talk with longtime Democratic activist Dale Butland, who worked for U.S. Sen. John Glenn and has a new book out When Ohio Was Blue.

The 2028 presidential campaign likely will start about a year from now, but Democrats are not waiting to take on a likely candidate: Ohioan and Vice President JD Vance.

JobsOhio is in the news not because of a big new project, but because of the role, however small, it played in the sudden resignation of Ohio State University President Ted Carter.

As electric bills rise and data centers start to encroach upon suburbs and farmland, politicians are hearing from voters and starting to ask if data centers are worth it.

While its end was unusual, Ted Carter’s tenure may not be all that uncommon. The job has always been difficult, but it seems to be increasingly challenging. To examine the politics of being a college president, Josh Moody, reporter for Inside Higher Ed, joins the show.

Ohio’s congressional delegation largely split along partisan lines in reacting to the attacks on Iran. Vice President JD Vance once strongly said the US should not get involved in endless wars, but supports the president in this case.

Les Wexner answered questions from members of the House Oversight Committee for about five hours about how much he knew about the sex offender and what role he may have played in Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking.

University officials say they are considering all the facts, and they have a process to consider the requests to remove Wexner’s name from the medical center, the arts center, and the football complex.

The Tax Foundation says Ohio has the eighth-highest effective property tax rate in the country. Some residents are fed up. Citizens for Property Tax Reform member Beth Blackmarr joins the show.

AEP seemed to survive the storm pretty well, at least in Ohio. But the utility made news when Governor DeWine mentioned his administration is trying to keep AEP's headquarters in Ohio. The company is looking to possibly move out of its 31-story headquarters in Columbus.

It has been an eventful year for the Trump–Vance administration. We’ve focused more on Trump than Vance, but Vance has been more visible than many vice presidents.

Protests continue in Minnesota and across the country. Here in Central Ohio, there is no sign of intense ICE activity, but detentions continue. Ohio State students protested the school, including the Border Patrol, at its career fair this week. Officials continue to warn protesters not to get in the way of any enforcement activity.

The new year started with a firehose-like stream of political news. Venezuela, ICE activity, the tragic shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis and false daycare fraud claims in Ohio have dominated the news.

A new poll from Emerson College in Boston shows some interesting trends that likely give Ohio Democrats hope and give Republicans pause.

The public authority that owns the arena says it needs 400 million dollars—more than double the original cost—to renovate it. And it’s looking for taxpayers to pick up much of the tab.

Tim Ryan, the former congressman, former presidential candidate and former U.S. Senate candidate said he will not run for governor.

President Trump campaigned on releasing the Epstein files and then refused to do so. He tried hard to persuade Congress to drop its demand to release them, but he failed. Then, the president reversed course and told Republicans in Congress to vote to release the files.

To examine the implications of the Democrats’ wins and look at how Ohioans voted on higher taxes for government services, we welcome our panel of experts: Statehouse reporters Laura Bischoff, of the USA Today Ohio Bureau, and Jo Ingles, of Ohio Public Radio, as well as Democrat Jo Mas and Republican Mike Miller.

For those of us tired of talking about redistricting, we’re happy. The Ohio Redistricting Commission has approved a bipartisan map and the issue appears settled for six years. But we might be the only ones who are happy.

We have a good snapshot of how Ohio voters are feeling, a year out from the election that will decide the governor’s office and Congress. Bowling Green State University is out with its latest poll.

For homeowners worried about skyrocketing property tax bills, a radical solution is gaining traction, but experts warn that abolishing these taxes could cause Ohio's income tax to increase drastically.

There’s no sign of a compromise in the government shutdown. Democrats in the Senate are blocking a funding bill, demanding that Republicans agree to reverse looming Medicaid cuts and extend Obamacare health insurance subsidies.

It’s a Politics and a Pint edition of Snollygoster. As we did in August, we gathered about 200 of our closest friends at Seventh Son Brewing in Columbus, where we talked politics while enjoying craft beers.

The murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk fueled a lot of hyperbolic rhetoric and some serious consequences.

It has been more than a week since an assassin shot and killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. President Trump and Vice President Vance have implied the violence was the result of far-left rhetoric, and they promise to crack down on liberal groups.

Lawmakers have begun the arduous process of drawing congressional districts for Ohio. Ohio Democrats did not support the two congressional maps passed four years ago. Because of that, the state’s constitution requires lawmakers to draw new ones this year. Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn joins the show.

In this episode, we revisit last week’s Politics and a Pint event held at Seventh Son Brewing in Columbus.

With a campaign video and email early Monday morning, the former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown announced he will take on Senator Jon Husted next year.

Brown is going to run for the U.S. Senate, the place he walked out of just eight months ago after losing a re-election bid to Republican Bernie Moreno.

The drama over legislative district mapmaking isn’t limited to Texas, where Republicans and Democrats are in a standoff over efforts to redraw lines. Once again, Ohio lawmakers are drawing legislative districts.

There have been major developments in the ongoing lawsuit against Ohio State University by sexual assault victims of former OSU team doctor Richard Strauss.

Ohio is in the early stages of a major fight over property taxes. Thanks largely to rapidly rising home values, property taxes have jumped on average about 25–30% in recent years. Homeowners are mad, especially those on fixed incomes who have no plans to move and cash in on their home’s equity.

Once labeled a cow-town, known mainly for its college football team, Columbus is asserting itself as a major regional and national city and the growth projections are kind of startling. But is Columbus ready?

Gov. DeWine signed the biennial budget into law and made 67 line-item vetoes. He nixed a plan to allow counties to reduce property taxes if school districts had a lot of money in their savings accounts. But the richest Ohioans get a 20% income tax cut.

The Ohio Democratic Party has a new chair. Amy Acton is building a campaign to run for Ohio governor. And everyone is waiting for Sherrod Brown to announce his plans.

The third version of the state budget is out, and it proposes cutting taxes for any Ohioan making more than $100,000 a year. The State Senate would do that by flattening the state income tax.

Taxes have come to dominate the political debate in Washington, and they loom as a growing concern at the Ohio Statehouse.

Attorney General Dave Yost has dropped out of the campaign for governor. Yost said his steep climb to the nomination had become a vertical cliff. For now, Vivek Ramaswamy’s path to the Republican nomination for governor looks clear.

A panel of experts breaks down President Trump's falling approval numbers in polls and the uncertainty over tariffs.

A new poll shows Trump has a 47% approval rating while 48% disapprove—a statistical tie—but that number is down 7 points from February. The poll’s co-director, Bowling Green State University political science professor Robert Alexander, joins the show.

The Browns are looking to move to a new domed stadium in suburban Cleveland. And state lawmakers seem eager to help. The governor wants to tax sports betting companies and use the money to help the Browns and other teams. The Ohio House wants the state to borrow $600 million to just help the Browns. Kennesaw State University economics professor J.C. Bradbury joins the show.

Last week, former Sen. Sherrod Brown announced the formation of the Dignity of Work Institute. The goal, he says, is to help Democrats and Republicans better understand the lives of American workers. It also keeps him in the spotlight as he considers whether to run for office again.

If you're a politician who wants to get elected, promising tax cuts is a popular strategy. Republican candidates for governor are doing just that, floating the idea to eliminate Ohio's income tax.

The Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, could be coming to Ohio. We discuss what that might look like with a panel of political observers.

Gov. DeWine gave his State of the State address this week and said things are going pretty well. He called for mandatory basic skills lessons in school—things like basic finance and first aid—and wants to make students leave their phones at home. Ohio Public Radio Statehouse Bureau Chief Karen Kasler joins the show.

Vivek Ramaswamy officially launched his run for governor this week with several rallies. The wealthy entrepreneur, who burst on the scene in 2023 with his run for president, now wants to succeed Mike DeWine. Political strategist Terry Casey joins the show.

It's week two of the Jim Tressel era at the Ohio Statehouse and he has not set up a campaign website... yet. Meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy has filed preliminary paperwork to run for governor. He'll face Attorney General Dave Yost, who announced his candidacy last month.

Mike DeWine did keep his Lt. Governor pick a secret until he and Jim Tressel walked before cameras on Monday morning. To the surprise of everyone, he announced the former OSU football coach and former Youngstown State University president was his nominee to be his right-hand office holder. Reporter David Skolnick of the Youngstown Vindicator joins the show.

Our roundtable discussion covers President Trump’s immigration round-up, the move to end capital punishment in Ohio, and a proposal to change Ohio’s fairly new voter-approved law legalizing recreational marijuana.

Advocacy groups believe Trump's rescinded federal funding freeze would have disrupted the Ohio budget process and jeopardized critical programs. Hannah Halbert, director of Policy Matters Ohio, joins the show.

After months of speculation, Gov Mike DeWine announced that Jon Husted was his pick to be the next U.S. Senator from Ohio. Of course, Husted is replacing short-timer J.D. Vance, who job-hopped into the Vice Presidency.

This DeWine appointment to the U.S. Senate has become a bit of a soap opera. Joining us to try to help us understand this is long-time Republican strategist Terry Casey.

Former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton ended speculation and announced this week that she will indeed run for governor next year as a Democrat. Meanwhile, Gov. DeWine still has a big decision to make on who will fill JD Vance's seat in the U.S. Senate.

In the 248 years of America's existence, there have been tumultuous years and 2024 is going to be right up there. Joining the show to relive the memories is long-time Statehouse reporter Darrel Rowland.

The legislative session between Election Day and the end of the legislative term is always a busy one. Maybe lawmakers are just like the rest of us and they procrastinate. Former State Representative Gene Krebs joins the show.

Voters last month soundly rejected a measure that would have appointed an independent, non-political commission to draw legislative and congressional lines. An Ohio lawmaker says there is an alternate solution: expand the size of the legislature. Joining us to discuss this proposal is State Sen. Bill Blessing.

The House Republican caucus voted unanimously to nominate current Senate President Matt Huffman to be the next House Speaker. Joining us to discuss this shrewd move is Sarah Donaldson, Statehouse reporter for Ohio Public Radio.

President-elect Donald Trump continues to build his cabinet. Gov. Mike DeWine continues to take calls from almost every Republican officeholder in the state, saying he or she wants Vice President-elect JD Vance's soon-to-be vacant Senate seat. Republican Strategist Terry Casey, Democratic Strategist Dale Butland, WOSU's talk show and podcast host Anna Staver and USA Today Ohio Network Reporter Laura Bischoff break it down.

Donald Trump rolled to a swing state sweep. Bernie Moreno rode President Trump's coattails to Washington. Republicans swept all three contested seats on the Ohio Supreme Court. How did Democrats get it so wrong? David Stebenne, professor of Political History at Ohio State University joins the show.

If the polls are to be believed, the candidates for President are tied nationally, and in the seven swing states. Joining the show this week is Anna Staver, host of WOSU's "All Sides with Anna Staver."

Just a dozen days remain, and the candidates for president are done with microtargeting by trying to appeal to narrow groups of voters. They are making their final pitches. Retired Ohio State University political science professor Paul Beck joins the show.

A New York Times/Siena College poll last week showed Harris’s support among Black voters was less than Joe Biden received in 2020. Joining the show to discuss this and other issues is Sam Gresham, a long-time political observer and activist who works with Common Cause Ohio.

National polling firms and out-of-state universities don’t survey Ohio voters as much as they did in the first 15 years of this century. But there are polls out there.

There were some sharp critiques, but a whole lot of passive aggressiveness and a fair amount of substance. Overall, the vice-presidential candidates spent most of their time targeting their opponents’ running mates. WOSU’s Anna Staver, host of the talk show and podcast All Sides with Anna Staver, joins the show.

Experts predict ad spending in Ohio will top $400 million. Nearly a half billion dollars will be spent to get you to vote for a U.S. Senator, decide a constitutional amendment, a member of Congress or a rapid bus line tax. Longtime political strategist Bob Clegg joins the show.

Another week of bomb threats has disturbed Springfield, Ohio. This all follows Sen. JD Vance's and former President Donald Trump's lies that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were stealing residents' pets and eating them. Longtime political reporter Darrel Rowland joins the show.

Evangelical protestants are the fastest growing religious tradition in Ohio. In part 4 of WOSU's State of Religions series, we look at the demographic shifts in Ohio's religious communities.

It’s hard to fault lawmakers for letting religious beliefs guide decisions, but where is the line between following morals and degrading the separation of church and state? In part 3 of WOSU's State of Religion series, we hear from lawmakers about how their faith affects their work.

All this week, WOSU is examining the intersection of religion and politics in Ohio. In Part 2 of WOSU's State of Religion series, we're examining how faith-aimed lobbying efforts shape policy in Ohio.

Ohio’s diverse religious history from early settlers to the present day has shaped the state's cultural fabric. In this four-part series, the WOSU News team explores religion in Ohio with reports examining how faith influences politics and policy in the state.

Mentions of crowd sizes and eating pets were just two moments from what was an incredible piece of political theater during the first and possibly only debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. We discuss the debate with Nate French, associate teaching professor at Wake Forest University and an expert in political communication.

Usually, Labor Day marks the start of the home stretch of a presidential campaign, but this campaign only began six weeks ago. Ohio State political science professor Wendy Smooth joins the show to discuss the upcoming election.

This week, we’re doing something a little different. We’ll be listening to WOSU's most recent Politics and a Pint event where three political reporters and host Mike Thompson sat in front of a large crowd at a local brewpub and talked about this chaotic political season.

Ohioans will vote in November on a plan to change the way the state draws its legislative districts. Some don't like the plan and think Iowa has a system worth replicating. WOSU reporter George Shillcock joins the show to discuss the Iowa way.

Midwesterners have cornered the market on vice presidential candidates for the 2024 election. This week Vice President Kamala Harris named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Walz’s selection follows former President Donald Trump naming Ohio U.S. Senator JD Vance as his running mate. Joining us to discuss the issue is another proud midwesterner and political expert, Ohio State University political scientist Paul Beck.

To get a handle on how this is playing out in Ohio, we talked to four veteran political observers: progressive activist Morgan Harper, Republican strategist Terry Casey, Ohio Public Radio reporter Jo Ingles and Cleveland.com reporter Andrew Tobias.

There is a new likely Democratic nominee for President of the United States. Former Ohio Democratic Chair David Pepper—a man who has been through candidate nomination processes, recruiting candidates and guiding them to Election Day—joins the show to discuss this tumultuous pivot for Democrats.

Former President Donald Trump ended all speculation and named Ohio’s junior U.S. Senator, JD Vance, as his running mate this week at the Republican National Convention. To understand why Trump may have made this pick, longtime Vance adviser Jai Chabria joins the show.

Voters will not get the chance to increase Ohio’s minimum wage in this year’s election. Supporters of an effort to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour have come up short in their attempt to get the proposed amendment on the ballot. Joining us to discuss the campaign is the president of One Fair Wage, Saru Jayaraman.

With the 2024 election just around the corner, the former president continues to warn of a rigged election months before ballots are cast. Fair election advocates are mobilizing to counter the false narrative. Democratic former Congressman Zack Space of the bi-partisan Democracy Defense Project joins the show. Editor's Note: An earlier version of this podcast incorrectly attributed statements made by a different organization to the Democracy Defense Project. We edited the audio to correct the error.

Next week, Biden and Trump will meet again on the debate stage. CNN will host the first of two scheduled debates at its studios in Atlanta. Republican Strategist Terry Casey joins the show.

In order to extend the campaign filing deadline so President Biden’s name would appear on the Ohio ballot, lawmakers insisted on another law banning foreign campaign contributions. Joining us now to discuss this law, its constitutionality, and possibly unintended—or maybe intended—consequences is Case Western Reserve University Law Professor Atiba Ellis.

It looks like Ohio voters will get the chance to vote for Joe Biden for president if they choose, but it’s been a tortuous process to get there. Meanwhile, Biden continues to struggle in national polls. Kim Agyekum, president of Ohio Young Democrats, joins the show.

The polling news was not good for President Joe Biden this week. He is trailing Trump in some swing states. Long-time Democratic strategist Dale Butland joins the show for a look at the Biden campaign and whether he has any hope of making Ohio a swing state.

Many of our major professional sports stadiums are between 20 and 30 years old, about the time owners start thinking of major renovations or new homes. Victor Matheson, economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross, joins the show.

It is no secret that Ohio’s congressional and legislative districts are gerrymandered to the extreme. The Brennan Center's Yuri Rudensky joins the show to discuss a new study that reveals how gerrymandering has taken away a true choice for many voters.

This past week, we learned that First Energy gave $2.5 million to a group that helped Mike DeWine be elected governor in 2018. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler joins the show to discuss the latest details in the ongoing nuclear bailout scandal.

Remember Issue 2? The one Ohio voters passed last November? The one that makes recreational marijuana legal in Ohio? Attorney Tom Haren joins the show to talk about when consumers can expect to be able to make their first dispensary purchase.

This week, former Ohio Public Utilities chairman Sam Randazzo died of an apparent suicide. We discuss the role he played in the nuclear bailout scandal with WOSU reporter and host of The Power Grab Renee Fox.

Sam Randazzo’s texts and memes come back to haunt him.

As we saw in last week's election, Ohio firmly remains firmly Trump Country. His endorsement of Bernie Moreno led to the Cleveland businessman's landslide victory.

There can be no doubt—at least for the Republican party—that Ohio is firmly MAGA country. A crowded primary for the U.S. Senate revealed a clear choice for Bernie Moreno by Ohioans. OSU Political Scientist Paul Beck joins the show to discuss this week's election results.

Suddenly, Matt Dolan has become the center of attention in the Republican U.S. Senate Primary in Ohio. Ohio Statehouse News Bureau Chief Karen Kasler joins the show to discuss the recent polls and endorsements in the race.

Ohio's 9th Congressional District was a pretty safe Democratic district for years. It is much more competitive now, and Republicans think they have a shot. University of Toledo Political Science Professor Sam Nelson joins the show.

Primary Election Month is here. Early voting began Wednesday. The big race in Ohio is the GOP primary for the US Senate, with the winner getting to take on Sherrod Brown. University of Cincinnati Political Science Professor David Niven joins the show.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin was in Ohio this week on a listening tour. During his appearances, the Democrat promoted the new political group Americans Together, which claims to be a platform for moderate voters.

Senator JD Vance continues to double down on his support for Donald Trump despite initial comments that were quite critical. Whether he is a true believer or a political opportunist is up for debate. Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins the show.

The death penalty debate has resurfaced in Ohio after years of dormancy. A new method involving nitrogen gas has emerged, as demonstrated by Alabama's recent execution. Gary Mohr, who served as Director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections from 2011 to 2018, joins the show.

Ohio Republicans may not have much of a presidential primary to decide when they go to the polls on March 19, but they will have a U.S. Senate primary to sort out. We discuss the recent debate with NBC4 TV’s Colleen Marshall.

The Ohio House voted to override the governor's veto of a bill banning various forms of gender-affirming care for minors. Additionally, the bill seeks to prevent transgender girls and women from participating in female sports teams in high schools and colleges in Ohio. Ohio Public Radio reporter Jo Ingles joins the show.

Gov. DeWine vetoed a bill to ban many forms of healthcare for transgender minors and ban transgender girls from participating on female sports teams in high school and college. Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio joins the show to discuss the issue and the effort to override the governor's decision.

We take a deep dive into the politics of Ohio, reflecting on the eventful year of 2023 and looking ahead to the upcoming 2024.

Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens floated the idea of eliminating term limits for the state's lawmakers last week. We take a closer look at term limits with Democratic strategist and lobbyist Derrick Clay.

On the finale of The Power Grab we take a look at the cost of corruption cost and if it has led to any meaningful changes in the state.

Recreational cannabis is legal in the state of Ohio, but legislators are determined to make changes to the law that was overwhelmingly approved by voters. Republican State Rep. Jaime Callender joins the show.

FirstEnergy figured they could get their customers to subsidize their poorly performing nuclear power plants. To do so, they paid a $4 million bribe to Sam Randazzo just before Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him as the chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

Thursday, Dec. 7, is the date when Ohio's new abortion rights amendment takes effect and when recreational marijuana becomes legal in Ohio. We'll discuss what conservative lawmakers have planned for with Ohio Public Radio’s Karen Kasler.

Dark money for political campaigns helped make the Ohio nuclear bailout bribery scandal possible. But that $60 million FirstEnergy doled out to elect Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and his allies, to pass HB 6 and stop it from being rolled back, wasn’t the only cash that traded hands.

Lobbyist Neil Clark was paranoid that he was on the FBI’s radar and he was right for the nuclear bailout bribery scheme.The Columbus lobbyist from humble beginnings had made it far in Ohio politics. He was a fierce competitor and prided himself on going scorched earth for a cause. He left nothing on the table and hated to lose. He didn’t care if he believed in the cause or not.

Ohio Democrats and Republican lawmakers are weighing their next steps after Issue 1 passes. Dan Kobil, a law professor of Capital University in Columbus discusses proposed strategies.

In this episode, we’ll explore how Larry Householder rounded up votes to become Ohio House Speaker. And, how he strong-armed opponents of the bill he promised to FirstEnergy, known as HB 6. We’ll see how FirstEnergy’s team reacted to a campaign to fight the bill and how the conspirators scrambled to keep it all together as federal investigators honed in.

Ohio voters overwhelmingly passed ballot measures for abortion and reproductive rights, as well as the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. We take a look at the results and talk about where we go from here with Anna Staver, the host of WOSU's "All Sides with Anna Staver."

In the first episode of the WOSU podcast The Power Grab, we delve into the shocking arrest of Republican House Speaker Larry Householder and the federal racketeering charges against him.

Starting Monday, November 6, WOSU's original podcast The Power Grab will take a tour of Ohio’s backrooms and listen in on clandestine FBI recordings of schemes by Larry Householder and FirstEnergy to wrangle power for corporate and personal profits.

A look at the ramifications of Ohio abortion ballot measures with Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler with Election Day looming, and we get a sneak-peak at a new podcast about the Larry Householder bribery scandal.

Ohio voters will soon decide whether to whether to legalize recreational cannabis. Twenty-three states have already done so, with Maryland being the latest. Aaron Klein, a senior fellow in Economic Studies with the Brookings Institute, joins the show.

Voting has begun on Issue 1, the abortion rights amendment. Opponents argue that parents will lose the right to have a say if their child chooses an abortion. This week on Snollygoster, host Mike Thompson discusses the issue with Capital University law professor Dan Kobil and Dr. Courtney Kerestes, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health.

In this episode of Snollygoster, we look at the proposed abortion rights amendment and how it compares to Michigan's amendment from last year. Zoe Clark, political director at Michigan Radio, discusses the dynamics and messaging of her state's successful abortion rights campaign.

Ohio's redistricting process restarted this week, but it was a false start. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, host Mike Thompson discusses the ongoing distract map drama with Karen Kasler, Ohio Public Radio Statehouse Bureau Chief.

Abortion rights will be Issue 1 both on the ballot and in the minds of most voters going to the polls. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, host Mike Thompson discusses the politics of abortion with long-time political reporter Ken Rudin, host of the Political Junkie podcast.

Recent political wins by Ohio Democrats have some thinking that the state might be swinging more towards being a "purple" state. But that might be wishful thinking. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, host Mike Thompson talks with Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.

Abortion rights will be on the ballot in November and conservatives can't agree on whether a compromise should be on the table. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, host Mike Thompson talks to Republican strategist Terry Casey about a rift in the GOP.

Nearly four in 10 voters came out in the heat of late July and early August to reject Issue 1. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, host Mike Thompson talks with supporters and opponents about the next steps.

The campaigns for and against Issue 1 are spending millions of dollars on TV ads to get voters to the polls. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson talks with Herb Asher, retired Ohio State University political science professor.

Ohio voters will vote on abortion rights in November but whether that will require 60% of the vote or a simple majority will be decided on August 8. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the latest polling and the pro-marijuana supporters racing to collect more signatures.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose is officially in the race for U.S. Senate for 2024. On this episode of Snollygoster, host Steve Brown discusses the timing of LaRose's announcement and recent polling on Issue 1. Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau Chief Karen Kasler joins the show.

On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the messaging around Issue 1, which could raise the threshold to change the Ohio Constitution.

Campaigners have submitted signatures for the ballot effort to enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss that campaign and the pro-marijuana legalization issue that could also be on the November ballot.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling is a win for redistricting reform advocates in Ohio and other states. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss what the case means with Ohio State professor and election law expert Steve Huefner.

It seems like a special August election is in the cards for Ohio. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling that allowed the vote to go forward.

Republicans at the statehouse – and in state capitols across the county – are pushing anti-transgender legislation with very similar language. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss this trend with Associated Press reporter Jeff McMillan.

The Ohio Supreme Court is expected to rule any day now on whether or not voters will get a chance to decide to make it harder to change the state's constitution. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss what is at stake.

The fight over Issue 1 continues, both in the hearts of voters and the courtroom. Issue 1 is a proposal to make it harder to amend the state constitution by raising the threshold for amendment from a simple majority to 60%. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose joins the show.

A joint resolution approved by the legislature will ask voters if they want to increase the majority needed to pass an amendment but legal cases could get in the way.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss this ongoing legal battle.

Ohio lawmakers are seeking to hold an August election to ask voters whether to make it harder to change the state constitution. Now, the Ohio Supreme Court will weigh in. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss legal wrangling over this issue.

Hundreds of protesters filled the Statehouse Wednesday as the House debated whether to ask voters to make it harder to change the Ohio constitution this summer. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss what to expect in a controversial August election on this issue.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose was caught on tape pitching himself to Republicans as a potential U.S. Senate candidate. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss LaRose's soft campaign and his viability as a challenger to Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown.

President Joe Biden announced that he will seek a second term in a highly-produced video message. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the level of enthusiasm for Biden amid the concerns about his age and ability to serve. Progressive activist Morgan Harper joins the show.

During an Ohio House committee meeting on an August ballot measure to make it harder to change the Ohio Constitution, members shut off debate without opposition input. Cries of "shame" rang out from the audience.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the future of the effort.

Republicans are beginning to realize that playing defense is a lot harder than playing offense. After recent success in limiting abortion access, Republicans find themselves defending a position most Americans disagree with.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss whether a compromise might be reached.

Republican lawmakers at the Statehouse want to make it harder to change the constitution before a November vote on abortion rights. To do that, they themselves must change the constitution.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, host Mike Thompson discusses efforts to amend the constitution. Former state representative Mike Curtin joins the show.

Ohio’s new voter photo ID law goes into effect on April 7. That means you can’t just use a utility bill or a mortgage statement to prove your identity. You need an Ohio-issued photo ID.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown talk about the impact of the new law.

Republican lawmakers who oppose abortion want to make 60% the new threshold for amending the Ohio constitution. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the rush for a special election in August, before a possible abortion rights vote in November. Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau Chief Karen Kasler joins the show.

A key piece of evidence in the corruption trial of Larry Householder and Matt Borges was a recorded conversation between Borges and FBI informant Tyler Fehrman.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown talk with Fehrman about his decision to blow the whistle when his former mentor offered him a shady deal.

After seven weeks of testimony, a jury has found former House Speaker Larry Householder and former state Republican Chairman Matt Borges guilty of bribery and racketeering.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the verdict.

Anti-abortion rights organizations are getting ready to defeat the proposed amendment that would essentially codify the Roe v. Wade decision in the Ohio constitution. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the proposal with Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right To Life.

On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the proposal's chances of succeeding at the ballot. Dr. Sri Thakkilapati of Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom joins the show.

The Ohio House is making up for lost time. After a leadership squabble, lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills, including income tax cuts and a ban on transgender girls playing high school and college sports.

On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the debate on who should control the campaign funds for the House GOP.

For the third time as governor and the first time in his second term, Mike DeWine delivered his State of the State address this week. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the governors speech, which avoided divisive hot-button cultural issues.

Federal prosecutors say Larry Householder and Matt Borges participated in a $61 million bribery scheme to get Householder elected speaker and pass a billion-dollar nuclear bailout law. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the opening of the trial. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow joins the show.

The bribery and racketeering trial of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder—one of the biggest figures in Ohio politics over the last two decades—is set to begin this week. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the state's largest-ever bribery scandal.

Mike DeWine took the oath of office as an elected official for his second term as governor and for likely the last time. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the event and what's on his governing bucket list.Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau reporter Andy Chow joins the show.

Last month, Republican House members said they supported State Rep. Derek Merrin of suburban Toledo to be the next speaker, but that was not to be. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown talk about a surprising turn to Jason Stephens for the top job. Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau reporter Jo Ingles joins the show.

Whether it was the November election, unconstitutional legislative maps or the fight over abortion rights, there were a lot of stories that kept on giving throughout 2022. In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown sorts through the biggest political stories in Ohio this year.

After the Dobbs decision came down this summer, abortion rights supporters in Ohio turned their attention to the ballot. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss why a voter-approved change to the state constitution seems like the only way to restore abortion access.

The House and Senate are working on a couple of bills that would change voting rules, including a proposed requirement for a photo ID in order to vote.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss whether such measures are solutions in search of a problem. Mia Lewis from Common Cause Ohio joins the show.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is pushing to update the rules for changing Ohio’s consitution, moving the threshold from 50% to 60% to pass an amendment. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown look to Florida to see what that kind of change might look like. Prof. Susan MacManus of the University of South Florida joins the show.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year... the lame-duck session at the Ohio General Assembly. So many bills. So many important issues. So little time to consider them before they become law. It’s anything but lame.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the bills quickly moving through the capitol. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow joins the show.

Republicans captured every statewide office: Governor, Attorney General, Auditor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, and three seats on the Ohio Supreme Court. The races were not even that close. Every statewide Republican won by double digits, except J.D. Vance in the U.S. Senate race.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the major takeaways from the 2022 midterm elections.

Issue 2 would make Ohio the 7th state to explicitly ban non-citizens from voting in elections. Ohio’s constitution already says you have to be a citizen to vote, but Yellow Springs tried to let non-citizens vote in local contests.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the proposed state constitutional amendment on voting that critics call unnecessary. State Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Green Township) joins the show.

Just over a week before the official election day, more than a million Ohioans have voted or requested a mail-in ballot. If you compare this year’s early voting to early voting in the last mid-term election, 40,000 more ballots have been cast.

The race for U.S. Senate remains neck and neck, but there are signs that J.D. Vance is pulling ahead just a bit—at least in one poll.

Democrat Tim Ryan and Republican J.D. Vance stood shoulder to shoulder on a Cleveland TV station this week and argued who was the best person to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate.

It's now just five short weeks until election day and just a week or so before Ohioans can start casting early ballots. The ads are all over TV. Our mailboxes are filling with direct mail. Our inboxes are getting swamped with fundraising e-mails.

In the latest Cost of Voting Study, which evaluates all 50 states based on what it calls "the overall investment a resident must make in time and resources to vote," Ohio was ranked 41st.

All around the country candidates are refusing to participate in the age-old tradition of a live political debate. Most of those refusing to debate or throwing up roadblocks to debates are Republicans.

A surprise ruling by a Hamilton County judge has put Ohio’s six-week abortion ban on hold.

The fall campaign season is usually a time when political parties come together. But this is 2022, and this is Ohio, and 67 days before the election, there is a leadership fight in the Ohio Republican Party.

It’s a tradition in party politics that goes back generations—candidates forsake the extreme elements of their parties and distance themselves from popularity-challenged party members.On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss why candidates "race to the middle" in general elections.

Newly-released text messages show that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted worked diligently behind the scenes to pass HB6, the nuclear power plant bailout law. We discuss what this new information means in the ongoing saga of the $60 million bribery scandal that led to multiple arrests and indictments.

After a period of silence, U.S. Senate candidate and author J.D. Vance is back with new campaign ads. One ad featuring his wife, Usha Vance, tells his life story, which seems odd for a candidate who rose to fame for writing a best-selling memoir.

While Ohio voters largely stayed home on Tuesday, a vote on abortion rights brought an impressive amount of Kansas voters to the polls.

Activists on both sides of the abortion issue this week swarmed the Indiana Statehouse to rail against or cheer on a bill that would ban most abortions in our neighbor to the west. The debate provides a preview of what’s to come when Ohio lawmakers take up the issue.

Democrat Tim Ryan has maintained a high-profile presence in Ohio's U.S. Senate race since the May primary, while the Republican nominee J.D. Vance has been laying low.

After the Indianapolis Star reported on a 10-year-old Ohio rape survivor who had to travel to Indiana for an abortion, politicians didn't waste time politicizing the story. In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown talk about how many Republicans were quick to call the story "fake news."

Last week the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade and allowed states to regulate abortion once again, just like they could back in 1973. In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss what this means for a state whose leaders strongly oppose abortion rights. Jo Ingles, a reporter for the Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau, joins the show.

President Biden is asking Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for three months and proposing that states do the same. In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss why Ohio is likely not going to join the effort.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tim Ryan is working to erase Republicans’ built-in advantage in this state. New ads claim his opponent J.D. Vance is anti-police and touts his support of President Trump's trade policy.

In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, host Mike Thompson talks with a panel of reporters and pundits about guns and redistricting quandaries.

After a mass shooting, gun control advocates want to ban assault-style weapons and install background checks. Gun rights advocates argue the solution is more "good guys with guns." In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss the bill that would make arming state teachers with less training possible.

A vast majority of Americans support new laws to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, but Republican lawmakers seem set on eliminating regulations. In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss Ohio's track record on gun legislation.

The biggest political story of the spring is abortion. That's thanks to the leaked majority opinion that indicates a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court is ready to overturn Roe vs Wade. In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown talk to Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life, about his efforts.

A group of Democratic women in the Ohio Legislature wants to change the Ohio Constitution to protect abortion rights and all methods of contraception. In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown talk with State Senator Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) about the effort.