Chairman’s Update 10/18/20

Chairman’s Update

Good Evening,

With just 16 days to go until Election Day, the campaign update from the RNC and Trump Campaign shows we are in a strong position to re-elect President Trump for Four More Years. Last week alone, volunteers knocked on more than 3 million doors. After recovering from Covid-19, the president is back on the campaign trail ready to fight for Americans now more than ever. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the most radical ticket in history. We must continue working throughout these next 16 days to ensure another victory for President Trump.

During her confirmation hearing last week, Judge Amy Coney Barrett expressed her commitment to the Constitution and rule of law. Democrats hardly asked any questions about her personal background as a judge because her judicial experience points to her exceptional qualifications. Democrats only wanted to ask her hypothetical questions about cases that might come before the court, and Judge Barrett handled that line of questioning extremely well, quoting Justice Ginsburg in saying, “no hints, no forecasts, no previews.” Judge Barrett will be a great asset to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Senate Republicans should hold a swift vote.

If you have not yet voted by absentee ballot or early in-person, there is still plenty of time to do so. If you would like to vote by absentee ballot but have not yet requested one, you may do so until October 31st. The polls are also open to vote in-person, and you can find more information about that here.

As you head to the polls or fill out absentee ballots, don’t forget to visit slate.ohiogop.org to find the Republican slate card.

If you are interested in signing up to be a poll worker, visit voteohio.gov for more information. You will get paid for your time while helping to defend democracy and make this election a successful one. You can also sign up to join Team Trump’s Election Day Team to assist with grassroots operations and Getting Out The Vote (GOTV). You can find more information here.

Sincerely,

Jane M. Timken
Chairman, Ohio Republican Party

 

Portman Applauds Funding for Addition of FDR’s D-Day Prayer to the National Mall

Last week, U.S. Senator Rob Portman applauded the news that the Lilly Endowment Inc. has committed the funding needed to install a plaque with the text of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “D-Day Prayer” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The World War II Memorial Prayer Act, authored by Portman and Rep. Johnson, was signed into law in 2014 and directed the Secretary of the Interior to add a plaque or inscription of the prayer in the area of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered this prayer to the nation on the morning of June 6, 1944, the day the Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy which ultimately turned the tide of World War II. Many consider D-Day to be the single most important moment of the 20th century.

The location of the plaque has been determined to be at the Circle of Remembrance, near the World War II Memorial. The legislation requires that the plaque comply with the Commemorative Works Act and prohibits the use of federal funding.  The project is being led by the Friends of the World War II Memorial and is expected to be completed on the 78th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 2022.

On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, Portman led a reading of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s D-Day Prayer and previewed the placement of a temporary plaque at the Circle of Remembrance inscribed with the words of the prayer.

 

DeWine Releases New Covid-19 PSA with Meyer, Tressel

On Tuesday, Governor DeWine cautioned that the continuing increase in COVID-19 cases indicates that significant numbers of infections are likely this winter unless citizens take steps to mitigate and control the spread of the virus.

“Although a vaccine is on the way in the future, we can’t control the timetable of the development of a vaccine – but we can control how much this flares up until then,” said Governor DeWine. “We have avoided the large outbreaks that other countries and other states have seen, and so far, the combined efforts of Ohioans have kept the virus in check. We can’t let our guards down now. We need to continue taking basic safety measures of wearing masks, keeping distance, and avoiding large gatherings.”

In the last seven days, Ohio COVID-19 cases have averaged 1,475 cases per day by report date as compared to an average of approximately 1,000 cases per day only two weeks ago. Ohio’s current positivity rate is 4.1 percent as compared to 2.7 percent on September 23 and 24. A total of 51 counties are considered high incidence and/or Alert Level 3 on Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System.

A new public service announcement featuring former Ohio State coaches Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer encourages everyone to stay in the game and to stick to the game plan.

 

Husted Breaks Ground on U.S. 40 to Support Economic Development

Lt. Governor Jon Husted last week traveled to Dayton to break ground on a project to expand U.S. 40 near the Dayton International Airport. It’s hoped that the project will help drive Ohio’s economic recovery and expansion in the area that supports more than 2,000 jobs in logistics and manufacturing operations. The investment increases opportunities for job creation in the Miami Valley.

Yost, Bipartisan Group of Prosecutors Propose Changes to No-Knock Search Warrants

Attorney General Dave Yost joined a bipartisan group of county prosecutors last week in calling for the preservation and tightening of requirements for using no-knock search warrants in Ohio. Yost, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley are seeking the support of the governor and legislators to change state law and tighten the requirements for obtaining such a warrant.

“Executing a search warrant in cases involving drug dealers, human traffickers and other violent offenders is inherently dangerous for law enforcement,” Yost said. “When a warrant is sometimes necessary, officers should be properly equipped to make the safest entry possible, and a no-knock warrant – a waiver of the statuary “knock and announce” requirements – is the right tool to safeguard them.”

Instead of banning such warrants, Yost and the prosecutors suggest changes to Ohio law that would require a more robust justification for their issuance. You can read more about the proposed changes here.

 

Ohioans Voting Early In-Person in Record Numbers 

Ohioans are showing up to vote early in record numbers – with triple the number of Ohioans voting at early voting centers across Ohio compared to the same point four years ago. 193,021 Ohioans voted early in-person in the first week compared to 64,312 at the same time in 2016.
“Voter enthusiasm is off the charts and we couldn’t be happier,” said LaRose. “We’ve never seen this many people voting early in-person and it demonstrates what Ohioans know to be true – it’s easy to vote in the Buckeye State!”
With so much at stake in this election it’s critical that we make our voices heard. Voters can check early voting days and hours by clicking here: VoteOhio.gov/Hours

 

Auditor Faber Rallies Trump Supporters in Montpelier

This week, Auditor of State Keith Faber hit the campaign trail for President Trump. Speaking at Cops for Trump event, Faber laid our what’s at stake this election. We can choose 4 more years of tax cuts, deregulation, and economic growth, or we can elect Joe Biden who has promised to ban fracking, raise our taxes, and defund the police.

Sprague Recognizes OU-Eastern Campus for Excellence in Financial Literacy

On Friday, Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague visited Ohio University – Eastern Campus in St. Clairsville to recognize the school for its success in preparing students for life after college. Treasurer Sprague presented staff and faculty with a Compass Award, which commends organizations, programs, and individuals across the state who are working to guide Ohioans toward financial literacy and empowerment.
 
With 16 Days Until Election, Kennedy Touches 10 More Counties

It was another week of hundreds of miles and Justice Sharon Kennedy visited churches, rallied crowds, spoke to voters, and knocked doors across Ohio. With stops in Columbiana, Crawford, Delaware, Franklin, Knox, Licking, Logan, Richland, Wayne and Wyandot Counties it is a sprint to Election Day.

“Although the campaign trail can be exhausting, with long drives and late nights, I love talking with voters,” said Sharon. “This year there is an energy in voters that is unmistakable and rare. Every where I go – regardless of where I am in Ohio – voters are ready to go to the polls on November 3rd armed with their slate cards. One word describes the energy and excitement – AWESOME!”

Justice French Visits 14 Ohio Counties, Has Officially Visited Each County 5 Times
Justice French was all over Ohio this week, visiting 14 counties this week alone.  She also visited her 88th county this week, this makes 5 times that she has visited each of Ohio’s counties since becoming a Justice on the Supreme Court.
Speaker Cupp Visits House Districts 59 and 96
Yesterday our volunteer team of about 10 joined Speaker Cupp on our travels to district 59 and 96. We started the day walking for Representative Al Cutrona in district 59 in Sebring Ohio. After finishing knocking in Sebring we headed down south to district 96 to knock for Candidate Ron Ferguson in Tiltonsville, Rayland, and Yorkville. It was a very successful day of knocking and we were once again graced by wonderful weather.