For safer cities, elect Republicans to Ohio high court

Bob Paduchik Guest columnist

A wide array of issues are impacting every Ohioan as we draw closer to the Nov. 8 General Election. Working families are feeling the pain of Joe Biden’s disastrous energy policies, open borders are allowing the free-flow of fentanyl to children, and 40-year high inflation is squeezing family budgets tighter than ever.

Even as we work to elect Republicans like J.D. Vance and Steve Chabot who will fix Biden’s disaster in Washington, crime and public safety should not be overlooked as a top issue for voters in this election. Last year, many predicted thatBiden’s‘softoncrime’posturewould wreak havoc on cities across the United

Continued from Page 1D contentiousraces,togettheirresponses. No one had a McCain moment, but all offered something positive about their opponents. The niceties came easier to some candidates than others, and most kept their responses brief. If there was an overriding theme, it was each candidate’s respect for their opponent’s commitment to family while also trying to serve their community/country.

There was no shortage of barbs and sharp attacks lobbed during the first public debate between Democrat Tim RyanandRepublicanJ.D.VanceonMonday. The two are locked in a hotly contested race for U.S. Senate that polls show is neck-and-neck as early voting begins. And while voters didn’t get to hear it from the debate podium, the two men said they respect each other’s commitment to family and service.

“I admire Tim Ryan’s commitment to his family. It’s clear that he always puts his wife and kids first,” Vance said.

Despite referring to Vance as an “a-kisser” of former President Donald Trump multiple times on the campaign trail, Ryan said he was “grateful for J.D.’s service to our country as a U.S. Marine.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley have proven they can be collegial, as the two worked together in the aftermath of a tragic mass shooting in Dayton in 2019. While locked in a battle to be the state’s next governor, Whaley said she appreciates DeWine as a family man.

“Governor DeWine cares deeply about his family and has always put them first,” she said.

DeWine highlighted his interactions with Whaley during the COVID-19 pandemic.

States. Certainly, we have seen that in Democrat-run cities like New York City, Chicago and Portland, and even in some of Ohio’s Democrat-led cities like failed mayor Nan Whaley’s Dayton, which saw skyrocketing crime under her leadership

Despite rising violent crime, activists on the Ohio Supreme Court made a disastrousdecisionthatisaslapintheface to every Ohioan who wants safer communities. In the DuBose v. McGuffey decision, activists on Ohio’s top court eliminated judges’ ability to consider public safety when setting bail, which is only accelerating the crime crisis.

Plainly put, they removed an important tool that is often used to keep dangerous people off the streets. Justices Sharon Kennedy, Pat DeWine and Pat Fischerallrejectedthatdecision,andauthored thoughtful dissenting opinions that raised important concerns, all of which proved correct with time.

During the pandemic, when I held press conferences, which were often daily, I would call all of Ohio’s big city mayors, including Mayor Whaley. I found that Mayor Whaley was concerned about people’s lives and wellbeing,” DeWine said. “She was very candid in describing what she needed from us, and we always tried to deliver on that for her.”

In the race for Ohio’s1st Congressional District seat, Republican Congressman Steve Chabot has developed somewhat of a reputation for negative campaigning. His opponent, Democrat Greg Landsman, has been on the receiving end of more than a few commercials painting him as a corrupt extremist who is anti-police.

Being characterized that way probably doesn’t engender many warm feelings toward Chabot. Still, Landsman offered this statement: “I know firsthand how hard it can be to raise a family and serve in public life. While we disagree on many issues, the Congressman has managed to balance a public career with raising his family. That merits respect.”

And aside from being follicly challenged, family men, it turns out Landsman and Chabot have something else in common.

“I respect that Mr. Landsman was a teacher. As a former teacher myself, I know both how demanding and how important that job can be. So, he, and all ourdedicatedteachers,deserveourgratitude for the time and hard work they’ve committed to our nation’s children.”

Candidates in county races were more amenable to saying something positive about their opponent, though some used an economy of words. Hamilton County Commission candidates, for example, weren’t exactly gushing with praise.

Christopher Smitherman, an independent candidate for Hamilton County

A number of disturbing cases have arisen since that decision where dangerous offenders have been allowed out on bail, and then went on to cause further harm in the community.

By voting yes on Issue 1, and for our Republican candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court, you will be casting a vote that “supports requiring courts to consider factors such as public safety, the seriousness of the offense, a person’s criminalrecord,andaperson’slikelihood of returning to court when setting the amount of bail.” commissioner, said he respected his RepublicanopponentMattO’Neillforbeing a small business owner and Democrat and incumbent Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas because she “has committed her adult life to service.”

This is common sense, yet Democratic candidate for Chief Justice, Jennifer Brunner, and other Democratic candidates for the court continue to criticize this important issue. Activist judges make a habit of placing their own idealistic values ahead of both public safety and established state law, and their opposition to this issue proves they are no different.

DumassaidSmitherman“seemstobe committed to his children” and O’Neill is “making the race interesting. Competition is always a good thing.”

Meanwhile, Steve Goodin and Pavan Parikh who are competing for the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts job describe themselves as friends.

“We met because of mutual friends from our time in the Army,” Parikh said. He’s a good man and a good dad. I appreciate his passion for our community.”

Goodin said he had a high personal regardforParikh,particularlyasafather.

I wish my kids were are well behaved as his seem to be,” Goodin said with a laugh. “ He really seems to put in time with the family. I’ve seen where he’s taken time off the campaign trail to deal with family matters, and that’s a very good thing.”

Tom Brinkman, the Republican candidate for Hamilton County Auditor, said he doesn’t look at his Democratic challenger Brigid Kelly as “the enemy.”

“She’s my opponent, but that’s all. I get along with Brigid well,” Brinkman said. He noted that Kelly and his wife have bonded as they both are battling health challenges. My wife and her have sent cards back and forth between each other. My wife and I pray for her in what she’s going through and I know she’s been pulling for my wife in what she’s going through.”

Kelly referred to herself and Brinkman as “unlikely friends.” She said they don’t agree on much but have always been able to have frank and honest conversations with each other, which has helped to build their relationship despite viewing the world differently. Kelly said that matters and impacts how a person conducts his or herself in a campaign.

Thankfully, Ohio voters are on our side. Recent polling shows that 82% of Ohioans support Issue1and only 8% are planning to vote against it.

Kennedy, who is running for Chief Justice, is a former police officer who has dedicatedherlifetoupholdingtheruleof law,bothasanofficerandasatried-andtrue jurist. She, along with justices DeWine and Fischer, are fully committed to keeping communities safe, and continue to support allowing judges to consider public safety when setting bail.

The choice could not be clearer. For Ohioans who want to keep our communities safe, remember to vote for Justices Kennedy, DeWine and Fischer for the Ohio Supreme Court. Your vote for them is a vote for commonsense interpretations of the law that are good for Ohio, and will keep violent criminals off our streets.

Bob Paduchik is chairman of the Ohio Republican Party.

“It makes it more civil, which makes it moreappealingtopeoplewhoareturned off by elections,” Kelly said. “One thing I can say about Tom is you always know where he stands on things, right, wrong or indifferent.”

Kelly added: “A functional government is good for everybody. It’s something we all should aspire to.”

Brinkman acknowledged that it can be hard to say positive things about an opponent sometimes because “there are individuals in elected office, on both sides of the aisle, who are very hard to get along with. They don’t have good intentions.”

But the majority of officeholders, Brinkman said, are good people with good intentions who don’t regard their opponents as “evil.”

“Wegetstuckinthisusagainstthem,” he said. “There are some people who are not good people in politics, but the vast majority are people just trying to do whattheythinktheofficecallsfor.Idon’t think that makes them bad.”

Goodin sees things similarly.

“People lose track of our common humanity,” Goodin said. “They forget that there are actual people on the other side of these political arguments.”

Parikh agreed, adding he wishes Goodin well in everything he does – except this election, of course.

“Obviously, I don’t want him to take my job,” Parikh said with a laugh. “We can pick up our friendship where we left off after the election.”

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone - politicians and voters alike - could do the same?

Opinion and Engagement Editor Kevin S. Aldridge can be reached at kaldridge@enquirer.com. Twitter: @kevaldrid.