On March 20, the Ohio College Republican Federation (OCRF) hosted their annual convention through a series of virtual meetings and speeches. The convention hosted a number of prestigious Republican speakers, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Senate candidates Josh Mandel and Jane Timken, potential Senate candidate J.D. Vance, and Governor Mike DeWine.
On the same day as the convention, the OCRF made a decision that I believe was ill-advised. From the OCRF’s social media accounts, they announced their endorsement of Governor Mike DeWine as he seeks reelection in 2022. In an interview with the Chairman of the Ohio College Republicans, David Kalk said OCRF endorsed because DeWine is a “fantastic leader” and the organization wanted to show unity and avoid “an ugly primary that he’d inevitably win anyways.”
I can respect Kalk and the organization’s stance on DeWine, even if I do not share their enthusiasm, but I must disagree with the assessment that the governor is a good leader worthy of praise and reject the assumption that his victory is a guarantee. The decision of the OCRF to endorse Governor DeWine for reelection is severely flawed for several reasons.
DeWine is likely to face an opponent in the 2022 primary, of which Jim Renacci is a likely candidate. Renacci, a former Congressman, ran a losing campaign against Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown in 2018. If he manages to beat DeWine for the nomination, I predict he will likely lose in a general election if the Democrats nominate a strong candidate. Nevertheless, Renacci defeating DeWine in the Republican primary is a realistic possibility. DeWine’s policies over the last year have diminished his popularity among Republicans, which could damage his campaign through a primary and when the general election comes around.
In addition to Renacci, there has been speculation and whispers of other possible candidates challenging DeWine. Although nothing is certain, there is a significant chance that we will be seeing a close primary race with a diverse field of candidates, each one looking to take down DeWine. It is too early to know what that field will look like, and thus too early to make an endorsement.
The timing, however, is the least serious of the problems with the endorsement. Perhaps the most maddening aspect of this decision is that it is a betrayal of conservative principles and basic American values, similar to DeWine’s betrayal of the same fashion. Since the start of the pandemic, just over a year ago, DeWine has abused his power and acted as a dictator, not as a governor.
Conservatism is a broad political ideology, but there are a few basic tenets that an overwhelming majority of self-described conservatives hold dear. Among those are free enterprise, personal responsibility, and human dignity. DeWine’s response to the coronavirus has demonstrated nothing but contempt for those values.
In the early days of the pandemic, he shuttered schools and small businesses. Hundreds of businesses closed and many of them will never reopen, leaving thousands of Ohioans at the mercy of an incompetent government. At various points over the last year, DeWine has mandated masks and implemented curfews, claiming such requirements will protect us, but never giving people much of a choice as to how absurdly far they want to go to protect themselves from a virus that most people will survive. For populations susceptible to the virus, perhaps behaviors like masking and isolation are reasonable. But for the vast majority of people who are at low risk for hospitalization or death from the disease, those mandates are ludicrous. Rather than trusting citizens to exercise personal responsibility, DeWine resorted to making people’s decisions for them.
DeWine’s policies have not only stripped Ohioans of their freedom, but of their dignity as well. By denying thousands the ability to earn their own living, run their own business, and make independent decisions regarding health precautions, DeWine sends a message that they are not worthy of respect. A story that the media has largely ignored is the skyrocketing rates of depression, suicide, and drug and alcohol abuse. It is no coincidence that when governing elites show disrespect for their citizens and walk all over them, many of those citizens start dying deaths of despair. DeWine may market his orders as compassionate, but in reality, they are immoral.
A common response from fellow Republicans to my criticism of DeWine is something along the lines of, “At least he isn’t as bad as Cuomo or Newsome.” Although true, Cuomo and Newsome set a pretty low bar. Merely being better than those two does not make someone worthy of praise.
With their endorsement of DeWine, the Ohio College Republicans show indifference toward the principles he has betrayed and the people his policies have harmed, and by doing so, betray those principles as well. Thankfully, Republicans from other spheres across the state are justifiably indignant and have finally taken action against the governor. DeWine’s orders have come without the support of the legislature or the people. The state legislature recently overrode the governor’s veto and passed Senate Bill 22, which keeps DeWine and his unelected bureaucrats in the Ohio Department of Health in check. Of course, DeWine opposed this bill because it could end his dictatorship, but that is all the more reason the bill is essential.
If a Repubican-controlled state legislature united against a Republican governor, it is a clear sign that the governor is no longer respected by his own party. The OCRF may support Governor DeWine, but their endorsement is not representative of many members of College Republicans chapters across the state. I can vouch for this as a member of the Miami University College Republicans who is aware of frustration toward DeWine within the chapter.
According to Kalk, the OCRF reached the decision to endorse DeWine through a vote. Each chapter received one vote. There were no votes in opposition to the proposal, however there were several abstentions. Clearly, some of the voters were uncomfortable with the endorsement, even if it was not a hill they were willing to die on. This further demonstrates the endorsement does not accurately represent the views of many students active in College Republicans.
Although it may be politically convenient to remain in the good graces of Governor DeWine, convenience alone does not justify the dismissal of other options or the abandonment of conservative principles. The Ohio College Republican Federation’s endorsement of DeWine goes against the best interests of the College Republicans, the conservative movement, and the State of Ohio.
