Ohio Politics Today is your catch-all for the best stories affecting national, local and state politics.
State Budget
The Ohio legislature's conference committee was working late into Tuesday evening to mesh the differences between the Ohio House's $122.9 billion budget and the $132.7 billion budget approved by the Ohio Senate.
Key to the process is a $1 billion budget shortfall over the two-year period of the budget. There are hundreds of line items that differ, as well as different amounts of spending and a 4.8 percent cut preferred by the house for 2018 to the 2.7 percent increase preferred by the senate.
JD Vance opens up
In his most personal interview yet, Middletown native and author J.D. Vance dipped into his childhood in an interview Sunday with Megyn Kelly. Vance and his sister were emotional at times discussing their childhood. The question on whether Vance would run for office was also asked. The full interview can be seen here.
Did anyone like the now tabled U.S. Senate health care overhaul?
John Kasich and Rob Portman didn't, neither did many local politicians, and neither did a plurality of Ohioans according to a poll by the American Medical Association. The question now: is there a health care overhaul that can be passed? Republicans are split between cutting money and making changes to the current Obamacare/ACA law through budget reconciliation, or voting completely voting ACA out. Democrats are split between those who want to fix ACA and progressives who want a single-payer health care system.
What do you want from next governor?
With Mike DeWine now officially running for governor, what issue should the next leader of the state tackle with the most priority? Tell us here.
Quick Hits
Recall effort has started to oust judge in Brock Turner case. (DDN) Trump enjoying CNN's retraction, resignations over Russia story. (DDN) GOP irritated over Trump health care moves. (DDN) Ohio ranks 38th in preventing accidental deaths. (Cleveland.com) 'Handmaids' descend on Capital Hill. (CNN)
Recommended Reads: Princeton professor and Hoover Institution fellow Stephen Kotkin's recent Sunday Review cover story "Did Putin get what he wanted from Trump?" is a great primer for anyone wanting to know if Putin had interest in the U.S. election and if he would have tried colluding with U.S. officials. Kotkin slaps down much of the conventional wisdom and gets into the personality of Russia's leader, and how his cyber plays in the election backfired tremendously on his central goal.
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