Activity by Progressive/Democratic Aligned Groups in Ohio in the 2020 Presidential Campaign

Ohio « Activity by Progressive/Democratic-Aligned Groups

Activity by Progressive/Democratic-Aligned Groups in Ohio

• "America Votes Ohio is based in Columbus and has been in the state since 2003. Khaled Salehi serves as America Votes Ohio's state director."
https://americavotes.org/state-network/

• Ohio is one of twelve states targeted by SwingLeft as part of its Super State Strategy.

https://swingleft.org/ohio
OHIO
SUPER STATE STRATEGY

Our primary objectives in Ohio are to: 1) compete for the state’s 18 Electoral College votes and 2) curb Republican control of the state government by breaking the GOP’s legislative supermajority in the Ohio State House.

In the state House, we are currently targeting seven districts—six GOP-held seats and one Democratic hold. Democrats need to net just two flipped seats to break the GOP’s supermajority in the chamber. Our pathway to victory runs through Ohio’s urban centers: Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Akron, and Dayton.

In the state Senate, we are currently targeting three districts—two GOP-held seats and one Democratic hold. These geographies overlap with our Ohio State House targets. To establish a viable pathway to victory, it’s critical that Democrats improve on past performance of statewide candidates in these regions.

BY THE NUMBERS
8 Seats needed to flip the state senate
12 Seats needed to flip the state house
18 Electoral College votes

STATE SENATE CANDIDATES
SD-16: Crystal Lett
SD-24: Tom Jackson
SD-32: Sean O'Brien

STATE HOUSE CANDIDATES
HD-16: Monique Smith
HD-23: Nancy Day-Achauer
HD-27: Sara Bitter
HD-36: Matt Shaughnessy
HD-43: Amy Cox
HD-55: Zach Stepp
HD-60: Dan Troy

WHAT'S AT STAKE
93% of Ohio counties don't have an abortion clinic: To receive an abortion in Ohio, patients must undergo state-directed anti-abortion counseling, receive an ultrasound, and wait 24 hours before the procedure, requiring two trips to a clinic. In 2019, the GOP-controlled Ohio state legislature passed a near-total abortion ban, which has since been blocked in federal court.

44th in the country for ease of voting: In 2014, the GOP-led state legislature ended “Golden Week,” a period when Ohioans could register to vote and vote in the same week. Now, voters must register at least 30 days before Election Day, and early voting only begins after registration closes, making it more difficult for Ohio voters to cast a ballot.

1,402 gun deaths per year in Ohio: Ohio receives a “D” grade from Giffords Law Center for its weak gun safety laws. Ohio does not have firearm purchase limits, impose a waiting period for gun sales, or allow localities to regulate firearms. The annual cost of gun violence in Ohio is $7.3 billion, or $628 per resident, according to Giffords.

What's at stake facts updated June 2020