Category: News

Columbus, Ohio — In a new interview today, Jon Husted blamed struggling Ohioans for the challenges they are facing, complaining that no one has a strong work ethic anymore.

LISTEN HERE:

Transcript: 

Senator Husted on struggling Ohioans: Our work ethic is broken. We don’t have the work ethic in this country that we once had.

This is part of a long trend of Senator Husted blaming hardworking Ohioans as they struggle with rising prices. 

• Husted has dismissed concerns from struggling Ohioans, claiming that he has helped lower grocery and gas prices and that affordability problems do not exist.

• Husted revealed he has no solutions to actually lower prices, suggesting that Ohioans should just “earn more” to make ends meet.

• Husted defended his friends and donors, complaining about people saying “rich people [are] selfish” while attempting to justify his record of delivering tax breaks to the rich.

• Husted claimed the affordability crisis only exists in “blue states,” dismissing the pain Ohio families are feeling every day.

• Husted voted nine times against lowering health care costs, sending premiums soaring for more than half a million Ohioans.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement: 

“Jon Husted couldn’t be more wrong. Ohioans are working harder than ever to make ends meet and deal with rising costs, but they’re being screwed by Jon Husted and politicians in Washington voting to make everything more expensive. Jon Husted is completely out of touch with what people in Ohio are actually going through.” 

###

The post NEW INTERVIEW: Jon Husted Insults Hardworking Ohioans, Says They Have Broken Work Ethic appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio — Jon Husted is under fire for starring in a fraudulent television ad that aired across Ohio claiming to highlight local small businesses, even though every business featured in the ad was located in Washington, D.C.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted wants Ohio small business owners to think he is on their side, but he couldn’t be bothered to visit a single Ohio small business to film his ad. While Senator Husted chases fake photo ops, his support for reckless tariffs is driving up costs across the state.”

See For Yourself:

TiffinOhio.net: Ohio Sen. Jon Husted promotes D.C. businesses in Ohio TV ad

• Ohio voters were told by Republican Sen. Jon Husted to support “local small businesses.” But the businesses featured in the ad were all in Washington, D.C.

• The ad aired on stations in Toledo, Columbus and Cleveland and featured Husted alongside three business owners discussing the importance of small businesses to their communities. The advertisement did not disclose that the businesses shown were located outside Ohio.

• One of the businesses shown in the ad was Cinder BBQ, a restaurant operating in Washington, D.C. The segment included footage of one of the restaurant’s owners speaking inside the business.

• Television airplay records show the ad aired on WTOL in Toledo, WBNS in Columbus and WKYC in Cleveland as of Oct. 22, 2025. At no point did the advertisement disclose the location of the businesses featured.

###

The post NEW REPORT: Jon Husted Caught Starring in Fraudulent Ad Featuring DC Businesses appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio — In a new interview with WDTN, Jon Husted doubled down in support of the Administration’s military actions in Venezuela, praising the operation for helping the Venezuelan people and economy.

Meanwhile, at home, Husted has refused to help Ohioans struggling with skyrocketing health care premiums, grocery bills, and utility costs. Instead, he has dismissed the mounting affordability crisis and told Ohioans to simply “earn more” money to make ends meet.

WATCH HERE:

Transcript: 

Senator Husted: “To help support its economy, its government, the people of Venezuela, that’s an important role that America is playing right now, and creating that stability. It’s working with other countries in the region who have been very supportive of the United States’ action there.”

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted cares more about an expensive and unnecessary intervention in Venezuela than the affordability crisis hurting Ohio families. While Ohioans struggle to afford everything from health care to groceries to their utility bills, Senator Husted’s only solution is for them to ‘earn more’ money.”

###

The post NEW INTERVIEW: Jon Husted Prioritizes Foreign Intervention Over Lowering Costs for Ohioans appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

SPECTRUM NEWS: Husted Would Oppose House Discharge Petition

Columbus, Ohio — In a new interview with Spectrum News, Jon Husted once again doubled down against lowering skyrocketing health care costs for Ohio families — confirming he would oppose the discharge petition the House passed yesterday.

Last year, Husted voted nine times against lowering health care premiums for Ohio families. Because of Husted’s votes, an estimated 583,000 Ohioans are now bracing for massive premium increases in 2026, with many facing costs that could double or even triple. 

WATCH HERE:

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Jon Husted just doubled down on making health care more expensive for Ohioans. Families are facing premium costs that are doubling or even tripling in 2026, and Husted isn’t lifting a finger to help.” 

Read more about Husted’s Health Care Crisis:

• Jon Husted has voted 9 times against lowering premium costs for Ohio families and claimed the ACA tax credits have done “nothing to drive down the cost of health care.”

• When asked how best to help working families afford health insurance, Jon Husted said the ACA tax credits were “not the way to go about it.”

• More than half a million Ohioans are seeing their healthcare premiums get more expensive or are forgoing coverage entirely after Jon Husted allowed tax credits that help families afford coverage to expire.

• Ohio families could see their premiums increase by an average of $804 a year because Jon Husted is refusing to take action to extend the ACA tax credits.

• Instead of coming up with a solution to help struggling families, Jon Husted said Ohioans should just simply “earn more” money to make ends meet. 

###

The post NEW INTERVIEW: Jon Husted Doubles Down Against Lowering Health Care Costs appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Brags About Bill Cutting Health Care for 490,000 Ohioans

Columbus, Ohio — Today, Jon Husted traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border to pose for a photo op while Ohio families continue to struggle with rising costs. During his visit, Husted bragged about passing the largest tax cut in history for billionaires and corporations while cutting health care for 490,000 Ohioans. 

Meanwhile, Husted has refused to help Ohioans struggling with skyrocketing health care premiums, grocery prices, and utility bills. Instead, he has dismissed the mounting affordability crisis across the state and told Ohioans to simply “earn more” money.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“While Jon Husted poses for photo ops, Ohioans are still waiting for relief from skyrocketing health care premiums, grocery prices, and utility bills. Senator Husted has plenty of time to brag about passing tax cuts for billionaires and corporations, but won’t lift a finger to help families here in Ohio.”

###

The post NEW: Jon Husted Poses for Photo Op Instead of Lowering Costs for Ohioans appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Husted’s Solution to Affordability Crisis: ‘Earn More’ Money

Columbus, Ohio — Today, Jon Husted voted in support of the Administration’s military actions in Venezuela, backing an expensive foreign intervention that risks American lives while padding the pockets of big oil companies.

Meanwhile, Husted has refused to help Ohioans struggling with skyrocketing health care premiums, grocery bills, and utility costs. Instead, he has dismissed the mounting affordability crisis and told Ohioans to simply “earn more” money.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“Ohioans are struggling to afford everything from health care to groceries to utility bills, but Jon Husted would rather risk American lives overseas to pad the pockets of big oil companies than lift a finger to help. Ohio families need a Senator focused on their everyday lives — not enabling a costly and unnecessary foreign war.”

###

The post NEW VOTE ALERT: Jon Husted Prioritizes Foreign Intervention Over Lowering Costs for Ohioans appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

House to Vote on Bipartisan Proposal Today

Columbus, Ohio — Jon Husted is still refusing to support extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits and lowering health care costs for more than half a million Ohioans — even as the U.S. House of Representatives prepares to vote today on a bipartisan discharge petition to advance the proposal.

Despite bipartisan support in the House and Senate, Husted voted nine times last year against lowering health care premiums for Ohio families. Because of Husted’s votes, health care costs have skyrocketed for an estimated 583,000 Ohioans.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“It’s 2026, but the question remains: why won’t Jon Husted get on board with lowering health care costs for Ohio families? He’s voted nine times to make health care more expensive, and now more than half a million Ohioans will see skyrocketing premiums because he refused to help.”

Read more about Jon Husted’s health care crisis:

• Jon Husted has voted 9 times against lowering premium costs for Ohio families and claimed the ACA tax credits have done “nothing to drive down the cost of health care.”

• When asked how best to help working families afford health insurance, Jon Husted said the ACA tax credits were “not the way to go about it.”

• More than half a million Ohioans will see their healthcare premiums get more expensive or risk losing coverage entirely if Jon Husted allows tax credits that help families afford coverage to expire at the end of the month.

• Ohio families could see their premiums increase by an average of $804 a year because Jon Husted is refusing to take action to extend the ACA tax credits.

• The average 60-year-old couple could see a $1,300 increase in their premiums on average. That’s an entire paycheck for most Ohioans.

###

The post BILL ALERT: Jon Husted Still Refuses to Support Bipartisan Push to Lower Health Care Costs appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio – Vivek Ramaswamy has had a bad few months.

First, he’s continuing to take heat from Ohioans who won’t forget he called them “lazy” and “mediocre” in a bizarre rant. 

Following pressure from Ohioans of all political stripes, he withdrew at the last minute from a scheduled speech at a conference that advocated for the outsourcing of American jobs, and has avoided questions about why he accepted the invitation in the first place.

Then after claiming “you’re not fit to lead” if you can’t handle the comments on social media, he penned a pathetic op-ed in the WSJ claiming he was giving up Twitter and Instagram. 

Even something as simple as a policy proposal has been embarrassing for Ramaswamy, like when he released a proposal so bad his own supporters desperately hoped it was AI. He even took home an award for Worst Use of Social Media for his video that turned out to be 100% real.

“Vivek Ramaswamy’s decision to pick an LG who is one of the faces of corruption in Columbus will do nothing to rehab his flailing campaign and is evidence that he will continue the same failed policies that have made life unaffordable for so many Ohioans,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer.

###

The post Vivek Ramaswamy LG Announcement Fails To Distract From Flailing Campaign appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio cities rank among the most medically expensive, analysis finds

Columbus, Ohio — With the Affordable Care Act tax credits now expired, health care costs are set to skyrocket across Ohio — the direct result of Jon Husted’s votes against lower premiums. 

Last year, Husted voted nine times against lowering health care premiums for Ohio families. Because of Husted’s votes, an estimated 583,000 Ohioans are now bracing for massive premium increases in 2026, with many facing costs that could double or even triple. 

Read more about Husted’s Health Care Crisis:

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio cities rank among the most medically expensive, analysis finds

• As Americans struggle to afford groceries and utilities, a new study finds that three Ohio cities are among the most expensive for another essential — medical care. 

• Cleveland, Toledo and Cincinnati are in the top 11 in terms of how big a bite medical expenses take out of their incomes, according to a WalletHub analysis of the 100 largest American cities.

• Cleveland had the dubious distinction of coming in second, with medical costs making up 11.35% of median monthly household income. 

• Toledo came in fourth on the list, with medical costs making up 11.03% of median monthly income, and Cincinnati was 11th, at 8.98%.

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio doc, colleagues bash GOP senators for failing to stop insurance hikes

• It now seems nearly inevitable that health insurance costs will spike at the end of the month for nearly 600,000 Ohioans and 23 million Americans. An Ohio family doctor and colleagues in other states are blasting Republicans in Congress for not doing more to stop it.

• Subsidies for health care purchased on exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act are set to expire Jan. 1, causing health expenses to more than double for millions.

• “Without the ACA tax credits, they just can’t make health care work in their budget. So they’ll put off screenings… they won’t just split pills, they won’t take them at all,” said Catherine Romanos, a Columbus family doctor.

• “Here in Ohio, our senators, Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, voted against helping Ohioans afford health insurance,” Romanos said.

• “They voted to let premiums skyrocket. Earlier this year, senators Moreno and Husted voted to give tax breaks to billionaires, but I guess health care for working families is just too expensive. What a slap in the face for my patients.”

• Husted’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment. 

Dayton Daily News: Area people brace for loss of health care government subsidies in the Marketplace

• As lawmakers debate whether or not to extend the COVID-era enhanced premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace, local residents who get their health insurance through the Marketplace are preparing to pay double of what they had been paying for insurance, or even forgoing it altogether.

• If Congress doesn’t pass a deal to extend the enhanced premium tax credits, Marketplace premiums on average could more than double, according to a KFF analysis.

• One local resident is seeing her premium go up by more than nine times what she paid this year.

• For the first year, Kalbfleisch paid about $75 a month for insurance through the Marketplace, and it went down in 2025 to about $26 a month after her husband died.

• For 2026, her health insurance is going to go to $254 a month, Kalbfleisch said.

• “I’ll just have to take it out of savings because I only get so much in Social Security a month,” Kalbfleisch said. “Every month I will have to pull from savings to make that payment.”

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Husted and Moreno tone-deaf about coming harm to seniors from soaring drug premiums

• Sens. Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, your refusal to address the expiration of Affordable Care Act credits means my husband’s and my monthly prescription drug premiums are more than doubling (up to $1,083.60 from $483.60).

• We are senior citizens on a fixed income; these increases will negatively impact us.

• You’re oblivious to our everyday lives, seemingly caring only about the millionaires and billionaires to whom you cater.

• Actions speak louder than words. Your actions inflicting pain far outweigh your alleged concerns. 

• Your comment, Mr. Husted, to simply “earn more,” as you were quoted on Fox Business, is a tone-deaf response to those of us who worked our entire adult lives and are now retired.

###

The post New Year, Skyrocketing Health Care Costs — Thanks to Jon Husted appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio- Following Vivek Ramaswamy’s announcement that Ohio Senate President Rob McColley will join him on his ticket, here’s what Ohioans need to know.

Ramaswamy showed Ohioans what he really thinks of them when he called them “lazy” and “mediocre,” chose to speak at a conference sponsored by a company that advocates for outsourcing American jobs, and moved his own business to Texas.

During McColley’s decade in state politics, Ohioans have seen costs go up while the Republicans in charge do nothing to help working families. During his time in the Ohio Senate, McColley worked to pass a budget that gave wealthy Ohioans a tax break, gutted funding for public schools, and failed to address the cost of childcare while jumping through hoops to give handouts to billionaires. 

“Vivek Ramaswamy called Ohio workers lazy and mediocre, agreed to speak at a conference sponsored by a company that advocates for outsourcing American jobs, and wants to continue the same failed policies that have made life unaffordable for so many Ohioans,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde. “Voters are ready for change, and Ramaswamy’s decision to pick a running mate who has done the dirty work for special interests and billionaires in the statehouse is further evidence that we can’t trust him to fight for Ohio’s working families.”

###

The post What Ohioans Should Know about the Ramaswamy-McColley Ticket appeared first on Ohio Democrats.