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Outside groups pour hundreds of millions into Ohio races for governor, U.S. Senate

While Ohioans are worrying over the cost of living and getting pummeled with campaign ads in the waning weeks of the midterm election, outside groups are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into Ohio’s races for governor and U.S. Senate. The candidates are spending heavily on TV spots to promote themselves, attack…

Prediction market platforms ignoring Ohio’s legal threats

The nation’s largest prediction market platforms are all ignoring Ohio’s legal threats to shut down their sports trading sections. The Ohio Casino Control Commission issued cease-and-desist letters to 10 companies operating in the state that allow consumers to “trade” on sporting events. Each had a deadline of Friday…

Democrats could flip legislative chambers, break GOP supermajorities, analysis finds

Party control is up for grabs in 15 state legislative chambers across the country as Republicans are increasingly on the defensive this midterm election cycle, a new analysis found. The nonpartisan newsletter Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics released its final analysis of state…

Bear killings skyrocket as garbage, bird feeders draw them into conflict

Bears are having a very bad year. Across much of the United States, a warm winter and persistent drought have decimated the natural foods that black and brown bears rely on. With nearly every station at the buffet in short supply, the adaptable eaters are turning to human food. From California to Connecticut…

An unaffordable economy's 'culminating venue': Eviction court

No place illustrates the affordability crisis quite like an eviction court, say advocates seeking reform of Nevada’s notoriously fast and landlord-friendly eviction laws. “The eviction courts are the culminating venue of our state’s housing crisis and affordability crisis,” said Ben Iness, the coalition coordinator…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 20, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Ukrainians and Sudanese with temporary legal status will keep protections for now

WASHINGTON — Immigrants living in the United States with humanitarian status from Ukraine and Sudan will retain their deportation protections and work authorizations for now, the Department of Homeland Security said over the weekend. More than 100,000 Ukrainians and roughly 2,000 Sudanese with Temporary Protected…

Last-minute Trump DOJ suit in California targeting noncitizen voters alarms advocates

After the U.S. Department of Justice sued California over its refusal to remove voters the federal government alleges are noncitizens, voting rights advocates fear the Trump administration is violating a court order blocking it from rooting out noncitizens with states’ voter data. U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan…

Elon Musk donates $7 million to help incumbent Ohio Republican US Sen. Jon Husted

As part of unprecedented spending on U.S. elections, the world’s richest man Elon Musk is funneling more than $7 million to try to reelect incumbent Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, according to an analysis of federal election data by a group demanding regulation of AI companies. The contributions by Elon Musk…

New Ohio bill proposes task force to address childcare, early childhood education

New legislation coming at the tail end of the current Ohio General Assembly seeks to study early childhood education regulation in the state. Ohio House Bill 1023, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Josh Williams of Sylvania, would establish an “early childhood education governance and outcomes task force,” according…

Data centers are now the largest financial bet in US history

The sheer size of investment in data centers is drawing concern as it surpasses all other historical booms and crowds out other more job-creating ventures. Until now, no industry had driven the U.S. economy with such force since the railroad expansion of the late 1800s, when titans battled one another to lay the…

Could data center opposition boost Democrats in Indiana House races?

Democrats are looking to ride a wave of widespread opposition to big data center projects across the state as they aim to pick up seats in the Indiana House. Data center worries are a prominent part of attacks against Republicans on affordability issues in several races targeted by Democrats this fall in their bid to

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 19, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

The Cost of ‘I Do’ in the Disability Community

When Patrice Jetter and Garry Wickham became engaged, the first decisions were of small, giddy consequence: where to hold the ceremony, whom to invite, what to wear. But soon enough, a far weightier question eclipsed them all: whether they could afford to marry at all. They learned that, as people with disabilities…

Here’s how the No Kings day of action urged early voting

With the general election just 16 days away and early voting underway in dozens of states, people across the nation took to the streets Saturday to urge their friends and neighbors to get out and vote. The No Kings: Vote Early Day of Action held more than 2,500 events in all 50 states and the

No Kings shifts strategy from streets to ballot boxes with early voting day of action

Organizers launched more than 2,500 No Kings events across all 50 states and the District of Columbia Saturday, this time focusing their efforts on the midterm elections. From roadside rallies to letter-writing campaigns and protest songs, this round of demonstrations aimed to get people to the polls early. In the…

Thousands gather at ‘No Kings’ rallies across Central Ohio urging early voting

The No Kings coalition sponsored string of local rallies in Central Ohio Saturday, urging Ohio voters to vote early for the Nov. 3 midterm election. Early in-person voting is currently available at voters’ local county board of elections or designated early voting location. Find your early voting location here. Early…

Immigrants from Ukraine, Sudan could soon lose protected status

WASHINGTON — More than 100,000 Ukrainians and roughly 2,000 Sudanese immigrants are bracing for the possibility they’ll lose their humanitarian protections by Monday. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has not indicated if he will renew protections for Ukrainians, who first received Temporary Protected…

California sued by Trump administration over demand to purge 20,000 voters from rolls

The Trump administration sought a federal court order Thursday to force California to purge 20,000 people from its voter rolls over claims they are not U.S. citizens, a major development less than three weeks before the midterm elections. The U.S. Department of Justice sued the state, asking a judge to validate its…

Colorado student wins top prize at National Civics Bee Championship

WASHINGTON — Peter Daniell of Broomfield, Colorado, took home the grand prize Wednesday night after winning the National Civics Bee Championship in the nation’s capital. Daniell, a ninth-grader, was one of 52 students from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and American Samoa who put their civics knowledge to the test…

Ohio saw the biggest decline in homeownership affordability, new report shows

Ohio had the steepest decline in homeownership affordability between 2020 to 2025, according to new reporting from the National Housing Conference. The number of occupations able to afford a typically priced home with a 10% down payment fell nearly 41% across Ohio’s metropolitan areas from 2020 to 2025, according to…

Vote-early events, Ohio Capitol rally slated for Saturday

The No Kings coalition is sponsoring a string of local rallies in Central Ohio Saturday that will culminate in a big one at the Statehouse at 4:30 p.m. The purpose is to promote early voting in the Nov. 3 midterm election, democracy and election protection. “With the backdrop of Ohio early voting already setting record

Powered by spikes in energy prices, inflation surges to 3.7%

Inflation grew to a 3.7% annual rate in September, according to an Oct. 14 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, up from 3.4% in August. In the last consumer price inflation report before midterm elections, with voters already fed up with higher prices, September’s number was the highest since May, when it…

2 states, 2 abortion ballot measures, and the effort to win over Gen Z voters

Editor’s Note: This story is part of Gen Z at the Ballot Box, a collaboration between States Newsroom and The 19th. Boise State University senior Cade Syvock opposes abortion. As president of the school’s chapter of the conservative group Turning Point USA, the organization founded by the late activist Charlie Kirk…

About 80,000 Kentuckians have lost access to food aid under federal rule changes

Some 80,000 Kentuckians have lost access to the food benefits known as SNAP because of federal changes to the program, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Kentucky’s congressional delegation on Wednesday. Beshear said that number includes 24,655 children and…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 16, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Trump: Execution of Fort Hood shooter will not be livestreamed

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump Thursday announced that the execution of a man convicted of the Fort Hood shooting will not be livestreamed, a reversal after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that Nidal Hasan’s death by firing squad would be public. “I think streaming the execution for all to see might…

Ohio appeals court rules state’s private school voucher system unconstitutional

An Ohio appellate court has ruled that the state’s “EdChoice” private school voucher program is unconstitutional. The program uses public taxpayer dollars to fund private school tuition. The program will still be able to exist, as the judges expect the state to appeal. An appeal will go to the 6-1…

Ramaswamy discusses death and taxes in Ohio at Columbus Metropolitan Club

Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy touted his plans to cut taxes without, he says, sacrificing on schools and local services, during an appearance in Columbus on Wednesday. He promised to respect the Second Amendment “to the fullest extent” and advance “medical freedom. Ramaswamy also said he plans to…

Nonpartisan government watchdog recommends automated activation of ICE body cameras

WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection need to improve oversight and guidance for federal immigration officers’ use of body-worn cameras, according to a Wednesday report from independent federal investigators. Officials with the Department of Homeland Security…

Social Security benefits increase will hit 3.6% in 2027

WASHINGTON — The Social Security Administration announced on Wednesday that recipients will receive a 3.6% increase in benefits in 2027. The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, will begin for 72 million Social Security beneficiaries in January. It will apply for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, recipients…

Trump’s DOJ demands California halt ballots to suspected noncitizens

The U.S. Department of Justice is demanding California not count ballots from voters it says are suspected noncitizens, a move by the Trump administration to apply last-minute pressure as voting begins in the midterm elections. The Justice Department on Tuesday gave California election officials 48 hours to remove…

The next act for the No Kings movement: Early voting in the midterms

WASHINGTON — The No Kings movement that has brought millions to the streets across the United States three times since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term is staging its next event at the polls. Organizers across hundreds of advocacy groups will pull together thousands of events nationwide Saturday to…

Ohio early vote way up compared to 2022 but absentee ballot requests are down

Last week, Ohioans began casting ballots in this November’s midterm election. Voters will choose a brand-new slate of state-level leaders from governor to treasurer, a U.S. Senator, and representatives for Congress and the Ohio General Assembly. With three weeks until election day, there’s still a lot of voting to…

History: When Ohioans came to watch the synagogues rise

In 1836, Cincinnati’s small Jewish community dedicated a synagogue. It was reported to be the first building erected as a synagogue in the western United States. The congregation behind it, B’nai Israel, had been organized twelve years earlier. When it received a charter from Ohio in 1830, it counted 32 adult men and…

With fewer public defenders, indigent defendants pay the price

AUSTIN, Texas — It was a good day for the defense. Standing in front of a judge in Austin’s Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, attorney Matthew Shrum secured a ruling that spared his client from serious punishment on a shoplifting charge. In the hallway immediately afterward, the defendant thanked Shrum with…

‘Labor guides’ can help dispel myths pregnant women find online

Providing “labor guides” to pregnant women helps combat misinformation that an increasing number of patients are getting from social media or artificial intelligence, according to a recent study. Dr. Samuel Melville, a resident-physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University and the lead…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 15, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Students to compete in civics bee championship in nation’s capital, carried on C-SPAN

WASHINGTON — As partisan tensions rise in advance of the fast-approaching midterm elections, students will test their knowledge Wednesday in a field that’s long enjoyed bipartisan support: civics. Fifty-two middle school students hailing from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and American Samoa, will compete at the…

Poll shows Ohio voters are mad at Trump as Dems maintain small leads

President Donald Trump is trying to salvage the Midterm elections by making them about himself with campaign swings in Ohio and elsewhere, but in Ohio at least, new polling shows 57% of Ohioans disapprove of Trump’s performance as president. Consumer prices have been persistently high with Trump’s Iran war choking…

Republicans hope Trump visiting Ohio will energize voters

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Republicans are hoping President Donald Trump’s repeated visits to Ohio will reinvigorate voters, particularly those they worry aren’t motivated to support their candidates. From traveling the country for rallies to using taxpayer dollars to fund his own political ads during the midterms, Trump is…

Trump immigration policies could turn away much-needed foreign doctors, critics say

As the nation’s physician shortage worsens, some fear the Trump administration’s immigration policies will dissuade or prevent doctors who earned their medical degrees in foreign countries from practicing in the United States. Among all U.S. doctors, an estimated one quarter were educated abroad. But they make up an…

Drug testing of TANF recipients will continue in WV; low number of positive screenings

West Virginia will continue drug testing adult recipients for a federal welfare program that helps low income families pay for food, utilities and other day-to-day necessities. Less than 1% of the 23,351 people who applied for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, tested positive for drug use, according to…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 14, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

US senators from both parties blast Trump order to import Russian diesel as illegal

The Trump administration’s order to allow import of Russian diesel violates a 2022 law banning Russian energy imports while the country’s war with Ukraine is ongoing, according to a bipartisan group of U.S. senators. Following an Oct. 9 call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the U.S…

Ohio voters are deeply concerned about corruption, poll shows

As the midterm elections near, another poll is showing that Ohio voters and Americans generally are deeply concerned about corruption. In Ohio, respondents said they didn’t particularly trust either party to fix the problem. And huge majorities said they’d consider voting for candidates who said they’d fight…

Ramaswamy loans campaign $5 million more as Acton outpaces him with donors

Ohio Democratic candidate for governor Amy Acton out-raised her Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy nearly 2-to-1 in September. She outpaced him in July and August as well. However, Acton’s success with donors got swamped by Ramaswamy’s personal wealth. In August and September, Ramaswamy made $5 million-plus in loans…

Gen Z women want politicians who can make the ‘American dream’ feel attainable

This story is part of Gen Z at the Ballot Box, a collaboration between States Newsroom and The 19th. Strike up a conversation with a Gen Z woman about politics, and affordability will likely come up within the first 30 seconds. The cost of doing anything, whether it’s renting a home, staying in college or getting a

A quote for the age of revolution, in 1968 and today

John Glenn, American hero for being the first U.S. citizen to fly into space, decided to stay at the hotel instead of going to the victory speech of Robert F. Kennedy, who had just won the 1968 California presidential primary. He sat there, watching the candidate complete his remarks, sharing the room with his wife,

Data center backlash set to sway midterm elections

In the course of a single election cycle, the backlash against data centers has grown from an issue at local planning commission and city council meetings to become a flashpoint in state and federal races across the country. Candidates who once touted data centers as an economic boon have backtracked, and voters in at…

Measles cases reach 4,080 for the year — the highest in decades

Measles cases for the calendar year surpassed 4,000 for the first time in decades, with as many as five deaths in Pennsylvania, as the federal government steps in with financial help for states but also fans vaccination fears and skepticism. A weekly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed…

Hurricane Isaias brings wind, water and destruction

Hurricane Isaias made landfall Friday night in Destin, Florida, packing 110 mph winds that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across a large swath of the Southeast. Heavy rains from the storm’s remnants could still cause major flooding over the weekend, forecasters warned. At least four…

Trucking industry doubts Trump’s diesel order will dial down fuel prices

In response to record diesel prices, President Donald Trump signed an executive order a week ago to make the tax-free version of the fuel — typically reserved for off-road vehicles, heavy equipment and farm use — available to anyone. But there are doubts within the transportation industry, which by far relies on…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 13, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

US House Dem leaders condemn Homeland Security raid on home of Rep. Ilhan Omar

WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders in the U.S. House condemned a “deeply disturbing” raid early Monday at the District of Columbia home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat who has long been a target of verbal attacks by President Donald Trump and Republicans. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Democratic…

Trump heads West in latest swing to bolster GOP in rocky lead-up to midterms

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump this week will journey out West in an effort to galvanize support for Republican candidates three weeks before the midterm elections and convince voters to support his party amid low presidential approval ratings. As the deeply unpopular war in Iran enters month eight, resulting in…

Trump may backtrack on livestreamed execution of Fort Hood shooter

President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to leave open the possibility that the federal government won’t livestream a military execution planned for December that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had said would be public. But Trump also told reporters at the White House that he had “absolutely” approved livestreaming…

Trump appoints committee to revive quest to remove Lisa Cook from Fed board

President Donald Trump has formed a White House committee to investigate Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, escalating even further a lengthy feud with the Federal Reserve Board member. The three-member committee will seek evidence that Cook made false statements in obtaining a mortgage and will hold a closed-door…

Election betting is booming as the midterms near. Do states have the power to curb it?

On Friday morning, the prediction market platform Kalshi gave the Democratic candidate in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race an 87% chance of winning. The volume of trading on the outcome exceeded $1.8 million. This is exactly the type of activity Minnesota and numerous other states want to shut down. “They jeopardize…

Ohio US Senate candidates discuss how to fix Social Security

Candidates in Ohio’s tight U.S. Senate race briefly shared their plans to protect Social Security. With Social Security facing insolvency, tens of millions of retired Americans will face cuts to benefits in late 2032 unless Congress takes action first. Whoever wins the Ohio U.S. Senate race this year will be faced…

Ohio voters will decide future of libraries with local ballot proposals this November

The November general election holds the future of some Ohio libraries in the balance, just as it holds the future of candidates for statewide and legislative office. Voters across the state will see 16 libraries asking for local support, 11 of which will have renewal levies, two asking for renewals with an increase…

Urban, rural hospitals closing at similar rates, study finds

Urban hospitals are closing at roughly the same rate as rural ones, and the shuttered hospitals are more likely to have served communities with high poverty rates and fewer transportation options, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal JAMA. Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public…

Feds unlikely to change abortion pill policy before next year

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said late Wednesday that it expects to complete its long-awaited safety review of abortion pills by mid-December and issue a report evaluating the results by March 2027. The agency disclosed the information in a court-mandated status report it submitted in the federal lawsuit…

Measles hits the 100-case mark in Kentucky

Kentucky has now confirmed more than 100 cases of measles as the state grapples with its highest case load this century. According to the state’s measles dashboard, Kentucky has confirmed 104 cases of the highly contagious disease, more than half of which were confirmed in September. The Department for Public Health…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 12, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Ohio political blogger found guilty in explicit Shrek meme trial

An Ohio political blogger let out a surprised laugh as he was found guilty of harassment after he sent an explicit digitally altered image of the cartoon character Shrek to a powerful lawmaker. After just thirty minutes, eight Lake County jurors decided D.J. Byrnes was guilty of telecommunications harassment against…

US Senate Dems demand apology from Chuck Grassley to Jack Smith for attacks at hearing

WASHINGTON — The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee is demanding his colleagues across the aisle apologize to former special counsel Jack Smith after Missouri Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt launched false accusations at a recent hearing and called the former Justice Department official a “dirtbag.” Committee…

Judge extends temporary access to White House for news organizations Trump banned

WASHINGTON — A federal judge will rule in the coming days on whether the Trump administration can legally rescind White House press passes for journalists at three news organizations, or if those reporters will be able to continue accessing the grounds while the case continues. U.S. District Judge for the District of…

Acton discusses plans for small business during Bexley campaign stop

Dr. Amy Acton promised to “give a voice” to Ohio’s small business community during a Tuesday visit to Fox’s Bagel and Deli in Bexley. The Democratic candidate for governor described several ideas including loans to help new businesses get off the ground, and suggested her plans to bring down household costs could help…

U.S. Senate balance of power falls to Ohio, several key states

Early voting numbers in Ohio’s liberal-leaning counties are exceeding their 2022 numbers. Democrats hope their voters turn out to change the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. “Things that you see around the state and around the country are pointing toward what could be a Democratic blue wave here,” state Sen. Bill…

Ohio has reached a turning point on the death penalty

On Sept. 30, Tennessee’s execution of Christa Pike failed after two lethal injections, which has resulted in Gov. Bill Lee suspending Tennessee’s remaining scheduled executions for 2026 and ordering an independent review. For Ohio, this failed execution adds urgency to the debate over whether changing execution…

Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 9, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio…

Aging workforce, immigration crackdown are depleting skilled workers

A perfect storm of harsh immigration enforcement, aging journeymen and a building boom for data centers is wreaking havoc on the nation’s supply of skilled trade workers. Automakers and construction contractors say they need more access to workers through accelerated training, steady immigration and a cultural shift…

US Senate candidates in 9 key races quiet about Social Security benefits cliff

WASHINGTON — Nearly all of the U.S. senators elected this year will be in office when Congress debates how to restructure Social Security to prevent an automatic drop-off in retirement benefits in 2032. Very few candidates in competitive races, however, have policy proposals on their campaign websites and many, when…

Trump auto-enrolls 10s of millions in child investment accounts

WASHINGTON — Every child in the United States with a valid Social Security number is now enrolled in a tax-advantaged investment account, titled a “Trump Account,” President Donald Trump announced Wednesday. Parents must claim the accounts by downloading a Trump Account mobile app. Children born from 2025 through 2028…