Democrats Celebrate Election Results

Today, members of the Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus responded to the results of the November 7 general election.
 
“The passage of Issue 1 will go down in history as a victory for the fundamental right to self-determination for women and their families in Ohio, while setting the stage for similar wins, across the country,” said Minority Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood). “Ohioans saw through the despicable attempts to mislead the public and clearly voted to protect reproductive rights. The out-of-touch GOP and their out-of-state allies engaged in vicious attacks through false, outrageous claims, voter purges and other nefarious tactics but voters weren’t fooled. By codifying reproductive rights in our constitution, we have ensured that Ohioans will have access to safe, reproductive health care options making their own personal, private decisions without government interference.”

“Today, voters showed that Ohio is a state that values women exercising their legal right to protect their health,” said Assistant Minority Leader Hearcel F. Craig (D-Columbus). “People have to make difficult decisions when it comes to their health – this decision is no different. This is between them, their God, their families, and their physicians. Though this is a very complicated issue, we must remember to be supportive of the strong women who have to go through this procedure. Oftentimes, the procedure saves lives–from complications, unplanned pregnancies, or cases of rape or incest. However, our work is not done. We must continue to fight for improved infant and maternal care, health care access, and better outcomes for families.”

“The passage of Issue 1 is a victory for liberty, freedom, autonomy, and democracy,”  said Minority Whip Kent Smith (D-Euclid). “Ohioans spoke loudly today that they wanted to make their own health care decisions based upon their moral code, not to have state government make those decisions for them.  Thank you to the over 700,000 Ohioans who signed the Issue 1 petition to put this issue before the voters. Your activism and dedication to making your voice heard when the Ohio General Assembly was trying to silence you is an inspiration to young Ohioans and every American living in a state that has seen their reproductive rights rolled back following the Dobbs decision. This was a great day in both Ohio and American history.”

“Ohioans made clear today that we do not want the government dictating what is the right decision for ourselves and our families. Ohioans — not out-of-state donors — protected their reproductive freedom,” said Assistant Minority Whip Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo). “Thank you to every Ohioan who helped in this critical effort. Our work to ensure reproductive justice for all Ohioans is not over, but the passage of Issue 1 has secured access to safe reproductive healthcare options for generations. The significance of this effort cannot be understated.”

“Despite the best efforts of crooked, out-of-touch Republicans like Secretary LaRose and Governor DeWine, who attempted to put their thumbs on the scales with lies and voter purges, Ohioans recognized that politicians should have no say when it comes to these incredibly personal decisions,” said Senator Bill DeMora (D-Columbus). “Today is a victory for all of Ohio’s women.”

“This is a great day for the state of Ohio and ensuring that all Ohioans have access to the healthcare they need,” said Senator Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati). “The people have spoken and continue to let us know that their voices will not be silenced.”

“As legislators, we are charged with making the will of the people a reality. On the issue of abortion, the General Assembly’s repeated failure to listen to the people has led to us being sent a clear reminder of their will,”  said Senator Vernon Sykes (D-Akron). “I commend the monumental work of the organizers and the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who fought against every conceivable obstacle to win this historic victory. Today, reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy have won and the will of the voters must be respected.”