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Richard Michael DeWine (; born January 5, 1947) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 70th and current
governor of Ohio A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
. A member of the Republican Party, DeWine began his career as a prosecutor before being elected to the
Ohio Senate The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the se ...
. He served as a
U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from 1983 until 1991, the 59th
lieutenant governor of Ohio The position of lieutenant governor of Ohio was established in 1852. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor resigns, dies in office or is removed by impeachment. Before 1852, the president of the Ohio State Senate would serve a ...
under
George Voinovich George Victor Voinovich (July 15, 1936June 12, 2016) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from Ohio from 1999 to 2011, the 65th governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998 and the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989, th ...
from 1991 until 1994,
United States senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...
from 1995 to 2007, and the 50th
attorney general of Ohio The Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Republican Dave Yost. History The office of the attor ...
from 2011 to 2019. DeWine was first elected governor in
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, defeating Democrat
Richard Cordray Richard Adams Cordray (born May 3, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the COO of Federal Student Aid in the United States Department of Education. He served as the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFP ...
with 50.4% of the vote. He was reelected in a landslide in
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, defeating Democrat
Nan Whaley Nannette L. Whaley (; born January 23, 1976) is an American politician who served as the 56th mayor of Dayton, Ohio from 2014 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, she was first elected to the mayorship in November 2013, after she served o ...
.


Early life and education

DeWine was born and raised in
Yellow Springs, Ohio Yellow Springs is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,697 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to Antioch College. History The area of the village had long b ...
. He is the son of Jean Ruth (Liddle) and Richard Lee DeWine. Of
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
descent, he was raised and identifies as a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
. DeWine earned his
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree in
education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
from
Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 10 ...
in
Oxford, Ohio Oxford is a city in Butler County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,035 at the 2020 census. A college town, Oxford was founded as a home for Miami University and lies in the southwestern portion of the state approximately northwest ...
, in 1969 and a
Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
from Ohio Northern University College of Law in 1972.


Early political career

At age 25, DeWine started working as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for
Greene County, Ohio Greene County is located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 167,966. Its county seat is Xenia. The county was established on March 24, 1803 and named for General Nathanael Greene, ...
, and in 1976 was elected County Prosecutor, serving for four years. In 1980 he was elected to the
Ohio State Senate The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the se ...
and served one two-year term.


U.S. House of Representatives

In 1982, U.S. Representative Bud Brown of
Ohio's 7th congressional district Ohio's 7th congressional district is represented by Bob Gibbs. It is currently located in the northeastern section of the state, including the city of Canton. It was redrawn in 2012, following the 2010 United States Census, and was previously ...
retired after 18 years in Congress; his father,
Clarence Brown, Sr. Clarence James Brown, Sr. (July 14, 1893 – August 23, 1965), was an American newspaper publisher and politician; he represented Ohio as a Republican Party (United States), Republican in the United States House of Representatives from 1939 unt ...
, had held the seat for 26 years before that. DeWine won the Republican nomination, assuring his election in November. He was reelected three more times from this district, which stretches from his home in Springfield to the
Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...
suburbs. He ran unopposed in 1986 in what was regarded as a bad year for Republicans nationally. In 1986, Dewine was one of the
House impeachment managers An impeachment manager is a legislator appointed to serve as a prosecutor in an impeachment trial. They are also often called "House managers" or "House impeachment manager" when appointed from a legislative chamber that is called a "House of Repr ...
who prosecuted the case in the
impeachment trial An impeachment trial is a trial that functions as a component of an impeachment. Several governments utilize impeachment trials as a part of their processes for impeachment, but differ as to when in the impeachment process trials take place and how ...
of Judge Harry E. Claiborne. Claiborne was found guilty by the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
and removed from his federal judgeship.


Unsuccessful campaigns for lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate

DeWine did not seek reelection to the House of Representatives in 1990, instead running for
lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
as
George Voinovich George Victor Voinovich (July 15, 1936June 12, 2016) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from Ohio from 1999 to 2011, the 65th governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998 and the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989, th ...
's
running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint Ticket (election), ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate ...
in that year's Ohio gubernatorial election. The Voinovich-DeWine ticket was easily elected. In
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, DeWine unsuccessfully ran for
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
against the former astronaut and incumbent Senator
John Glenn John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the Earth, circling ...
. His campaign used the phrase, "What ''on earth'' has John Glenn done?", echoing
Jeff Bingaman Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman Jr. (born October 3, 1943) is an American politician who served as a United States Senator from New Mexico from 1983 to 2013, for 5 terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as Chairman of Committee Outreac ...
's slogan "What on Earth has he done for you lately?" against former astronaut
Harrison Schmitt Harrison Hagan Schmitt (born July 3, 1935) is an American geologist, retired NASA astronaut, university professor, former U.S. senator from New Mexico, and the most recent living person—and only person without a background in military aviation ...
in their 1982 Senate race.


U.S. Senate

In
1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
, DeWine ran again for Senate, defeating prominent attorney
Joel Hyatt Joel Z. Hyatt (born Joel Hyatt Zylberberg; May 6, 1950) is an American entrepreneur and former politician. He founded Hyatt Legal Services, in which capacity he became a household name for many years, as he was featured in his firm's nationwide ...
(the son-in-law of retiring Senator
Howard Metzenbaum Howard Morton Metzenbaum (June 4, 1917March 12, 2008) was an American politician and businessman who served for almost 20 years as a Democratic member of the U.S. Senate from Ohio (1974, 1976–1995). He also served in the Ohio House ...
) by a 14-point margin. DeWine was reelected in
2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
, defeating gunshow promoter Ronald Dickson (161,185 votes, or 12.44%) and former U.S. Rep.
Frank Cremeans Frank Arnold Cremeans (April 5, 1943 – January 2, 2003) was an American small-businessman who represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican. He served one term in Congress, from 1995 to 1997. Cremeans was ...
(104,219 votes, or 8.05%) in the primary and
Ted Celeste Theodore S. "Ted" Celeste (born September 27, 1945) is an American businessman and former politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. After serving in the Peace Corps, Celeste, the brother of former Ohio governor and U.S. ambassador Di ...
(brother of former Ohio governor
Dick Celeste Richard Frank Celeste (born November 11, 1937) is an American former diplomat, university administrator and politician from Ohio. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 64th governor of Ohio from 1983 to 1991. Early life and career ...
) in the general election. DeWine sat on the Senate
Judiciary The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
and Select Intelligence committees. He was the initial sponsor of the Drug-Free Century Act in 1999. He voted in favor of the 2002
Iraq Resolution The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002,2006 United States Senate election in Ohio The 2006 United States Senate election in Ohio was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican Mike DeWine ran for re-election, but was defeated by Democratic congressman Sherrod Brown. As of , this is the most recent time a Democratic Senate c ...
, DeWine ran for reelection but lost to U.S. Representative and former
Ohio Secretary of State The Secretary of State of Ohio is an elected statewide official in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of state is responsible for overseeing elections in the state; registering business entities (corporations, etc.) and granting them the author ...
Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell Brown (; born November 9, 1952) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Ohio, a seat which he has held since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. representative for Ohio's ...
by double digits. He received 905,644 fewer votes in 2006 than he received in 2000.


Post-Senate career

DeWine accepted positions teaching government courses at
Cedarville University Cedarville University is a private Baptist university in Cedarville, Ohio. It is chartered by the state of Ohio, approved by the Ohio Board of Regents, and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Established in 1887, the school was origina ...
,
Ohio Northern University Ohio Northern University (Ohio Northern or ONU) is a private United Methodist Church–affiliated university in Ada, Ohio. Founded by Henry Solomon Lehr in 1871, ONU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It offers over 60 programs to ...
and
Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 10 ...
. In 2007, he joined the law firm Keating Muething & Klekamp as corporate investigations group co-chair. He also advised the Ohio campaign of John McCain's 2008 presidential bid.


Attorney General of Ohio

On July 21, 2009, DeWine announced candidacy for attorney general of the State of Ohio. On November 2, 2010, he was elected attorney general, defeating incumbent
Richard Cordray Richard Adams Cordray (born May 3, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the COO of Federal Student Aid in the United States Department of Education. He served as the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFP ...
, 48–46%. As attorney general of Ohio, DeWine sent letters to drugstore chains encouraging them to discontinue the sale of tobacco products. In the 2012 Republican presidential primary, DeWine endorsed
Tim Pawlenty Timothy James Pawlenty (; born November 27, 1960) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 39th governor of Minnesota from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, Pawlenty served in the Minnesota House o ...
, then endorsed
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
after Pawlenty dropped out of the race. On February 17, 2012, DeWine announced he was retracting his endorsement of Romney and endorsed
Rick Santorum Richard John Santorum ( ; born May 10, 1958) is an American politician, attorney, and political commentator. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007 and was the Senate's thir ...
. DeWine said, "To be elected president, you have to do more than tear down your opponents. You have to give the American people a reason to vote for you, a reason to hope, a reason to believe that under your leadership, America will be better. Rick Santorum has done that. Sadly, Governor Romney has not." On November 4, 2014, DeWine was reelected as attorney general, defeating challenger
David A. Pepper David Andrew Pepper (born June 7, 1971) is an American politician, former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, a former councilman for the city of Cincinnati and former member of the Hamilton County, Ohio Board of Commissioners. Early life Rai ...
. He carried 83 of Ohio's 88 counties.


Legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act

In 2015, DeWine filed a lawsuit in federal court in Ohio against a part of the
Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and colloquially known as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presid ...
(ACA). In the suit, he alleged that the ACA's Transitional Reinsurance Program (which imposed a fee "paid by all employers who provide group health insurance in the workplace", which in 2014 was $63 per covered person and in 2015 was $44 per covered person) was unconstitutional as applied to state and local governments.Stephen Koff
Ohio loses its latest challenge to Obamacare
, ''Cleveland.com'' (January 6, 2016).
When he filed the suit, DeWine claimed that the fee was "an unprecedented attempt to destroy the balance of authority between the federal government and the states". In January 2016, the federal court dismissed DeWine's suit, with U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley holding that the Transitional Reinsurance Program did not violate the Constitution. DeWine appealed, but the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (in case citations, 6th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * Eastern District of Kentucky * Western District of ...
affirmed Marbley's dismissal of the suit.


Criminal justice

DeWine's stated goal has been "Protecting Ohio Families". To that effect, he made it a priority to significantly reduce
DNA testing Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
turnaround times in connection with open criminal investigations. Under his predecessor, DNA testing at the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) took approximately four months in cases such as murders, rapes, and assaults. Under the DeWine administration, DNA test results are now returned to local law enforcement in less than a month, leading to faster apprehension of dangerous suspects. Upon taking office in 2011, DeWine launched a special sexual assault kit (SAK) testing initiative after learning that hundreds of police departments across Ohio had thousands of untested rape kits on their evidence room shelves. DeWine invested resources to test the 13,931 previously untested rape kits over the course of his administration, which led to more than 5,000 DNA hits in the
Combined DNA Index System The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is the United States national DNA database created and maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. CODIS consists of three levels of information; Local DNA Index Systems (LDIS) where DNA profiles orig ...
(CODIS). These DNA matches led to the indictments of approximately 700 alleged rapists, many of whom were serial attackers, connected to cases that would never have been solved if not for the DeWine initiative. DeWine also launched the Crimes Against Children Initiative, which paired BCI criminal investigators with seasoned prosecuting attorneys to investigate and prosecute child predators. The Crimes Against Children Initiative focuses on holding accountable those who sexually and physically abuse children, those who share and view
child pornography Child pornography (also called CP, child sexual abuse material, CSAM, child porn, or kiddie porn) is pornography that unlawfully exploits children for sexual stimulation. It may be produced with the direct involvement or sexual assault of a chi ...
, and those who target children online. DeWine's office also developed several task forces for the investigation and prosecutions of
human trafficking Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extrac ...
throughout the state.


Opioids

As attorney general, DeWine took steps to close down "
pill mill A pill mill is an illegal facility that resembles a regular pain clinic, but regularly prescribes painkillers (narcotics) without sufficient medical history, physical examination, diagnosis, medical monitoring, or documentation. Clients of these ...
s" in Ohio that fueled the
opioid epidemic The opioid epidemic, also referred to as the opioid crisis, is the rapid increase in the overuse, misuse/abuse, and overdose deaths attributed either in part or in whole to the class of drugs opiates/opioids since the 1990s. It includes the sign ...
. By the end of his first year in office, he had worked to close all 12 pill mills in
Scioto County Scioto County is a county located along the Ohio River in the south central region of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 74,008. Its county seat is Portsmouth. The county was founded March 24, 1804, from Adams ...
, considered by many to have been the national center of the prescription drug crisis. DeWine's efforts also led to more than 100 doctors and pharmacists losing their licenses for improper prescription practices. In 2013, DeWine formed a new Heroin Unit to provide Ohio communities with law enforcement, legal, and outreach assistance to combat the state's
heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
problem. The Heroin Unit draws from new and existing office resources, including BCI investigative and laboratory services, Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission assistance, prosecutorial support, and outreach and education services. In October 2017, DeWine announced a 12-pronged plan to combat the
opioid Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects. Medically they are primarily used for pain relief, including anesthesia. Other medical uses include suppression of diarrhea, replacement therapy for opioid us ...
epidemic, drawing from his experience breaking up pill mills, prosecuting traffickers, supporting recovery, and advocating the importance of drug-use prevention education. In addition, he went after the
pharmaceutical industry The pharmaceutical industry discovers, develops, produces, and markets drugs or pharmaceutical drugs for use as medications to be administered to patients (or self-administered), with the aim to cure them, vaccinate them, or alleviate symptoms. ...
, suing opioid manufacturers and distributors for their alleged roles in fraudulent marketing and unsafe distribution of opioids that fueled the epidemic in Ohio and across the country.


Columbus Crew relocation lawsuit

In October 2017, news reports surfaced that
Anthony Precourt Jay Anthony Precourt Jr. (born 1969–70) is an American investor and sports team owner. He is the CEO of Two Oak Ventures (formerly Precourt Sports Ventures), a group that owns Major League Soccer club Austin FC and formerly owned the Columbus ...
, the investor-operator of the soccer club
Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
, was exploring the option of moving the team out of state. After the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore in the late 1990s, the
Ohio General Assembly The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate. Both houses of the General Assembly meet at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus ...
passed a law requiring professional sports teams that had accepted taxpayer assistance to provide an opportunity for local owners to purchase the team before initiating a move. In December 2017, DeWine sent a letter to Precourt reminding him of his obligations under Ohio law. After Precourt failed to respond, DeWine filed suit against Precourt and
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
in March 2018 to enforce Ohio law and insist upon a reasonable opportunity for local investors to buy the team. As the lawsuit played out, an investor group including Dee and
Jimmy Haslam James Arthur Haslam III (born March 9, 1954) is an American businessman and sports executive. He is the chairman of the board of the Pilot Flying J truck stop chain. He and his wife Dee own the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League ...
, owners of the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
, and the Columbus-based Edwards family announced in October 2018 they were working out the details of a deal to keep the Crew in Columbus.


Governor of Ohio


2018 election

On May 26, 2016, DeWine announced his candidacy for
governor of Ohio A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
in
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
. He confirmed this on June 25, 2017, at the annual ice cream social held at his home in
Cedarville, Ohio Cedarville is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The village is within the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,019 at the 2010 census. History Cedarville was originally known as Milford, and under the latter ...
. On December 1, 2017, DeWine chose Ohio Secretary of State
Jon Husted Jon A. Husted (born August 25, 1967) is an American politician serving as the 66th lieutenant governor of Ohio, since 2019. He was previously the 53rd Ohio Secretary of State. A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented the 6th Di ...
as his running mate. On May 8, 2018, he won the Republican primary, defeating incumbent Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor with 59.8% of the vote. He defeated the Democratic nominee, former
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is an agency of the United States government responsible for consumer protection in the financial sector. CFPB's jurisdiction includes banks, credit unions, securities firms, payday lenders, mortg ...
Director
Richard Cordray Richard Adams Cordray (born May 3, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the COO of Federal Student Aid in the United States Department of Education. He served as the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFP ...
in the general election, by a margin of about four percentage points.


Tenure


2019

On February 22, 2019, President Trump appointed DeWine to the bipartisan
Council of Governors The Council of Governors is a United States council of State governments of the United States, state and Federal government of the United States, federal officials that was established to "advise the United States Secretary of Defense, Secretary of ...
. On August 4, 2019, a mass shooting occurred in Dayton, Ohio, that killed ten people and injured 27 others; this followed a mass shooting in El Paso, Texas by just 13 hours. At a vigil for the victims of the Dayton shooting the next day, DeWine was drowned out by a crowd chanting "Do something!"; the chant referred to the lack of legislative gun control actions on the state and federal level. On August 6, DeWine proposed to allow judges to confiscate firearms from those deemed potentially dangerous and to provide them with mental health treatment while maintaining their due process rights. Other notable aspects of DeWine's plan include expanded background checks before purchasing a firearm, increased access to psychiatric and behavioral health services, and increased penalties for illegally possessing firearms. In October 2019, DeWine held the first meeting of a Lead Advisory Committee he appointed for the state."Gov. Mike DeWine's Lead Advisory Committee holds first meeting in Cleveland"
, ''
Cleveland.com ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday. As of Ma ...
'', (October 22, 2019)
The committee is meant to advise him on the state's lead remediation efforts."Ohio Governor Mike DeWine aims to prevent lead poisoning with new advisory board"
, nbc4i (March 4, 2020)
In December 2019, he expressed his support for Ohio allowing cities to ban plastic bags, opposing two bills in the state legislature that would have forbidden it"Gov. Mike DeWine favors letting Ohio cities ban plastic bags"
, ''
Cleveland.com ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday. As of Ma ...
'', Andrew J. Tobias (December 4, 2019)
being pushed by fellow Republicans."DeWine opposes moves by lawmakers to forbid local bans on plastic bags"
, ''
The Columbus Dispatch ''The Columbus Dispatch'' is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and it has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since ''The Columbus Citizen-Journal'' ceased publication in 19 ...
'', Randy Ludlow (December 5, 2019)
On December 10, 2019, during the Ohio Contractors Association's winter conference in
Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...
, DeWine said that he wanted to improve the Interstate
rest area A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway servi ...
s in Ohio by adding more information about Ohio's history and culture. He also said, "I'm told that our rest areas are sorry." In late December, DeWine announced that Ohio would continue to accept refugees. In a letter to Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo Michael Richard Pompeo (; born December 30, 1963) is an American politician, diplomat, and businessman who served under President Donald Trump as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2017 to 2018 and as the 70th United State ...
, he wrote, "Before entering the United States, there is a lengthy, complex, and careful vetting process done by multiple federal agencies to confirm a refugee's eligibility for entrance."


2020

In January 2020, DeWine sent troops from the
Ohio National Guard The Ohio National Guard comprises the Ohio Army National Guard and the Ohio Air National Guard. The commander-in-chief of the Ohio Army National Guard is the governor of the U.S. state of Ohio. If the Ohio Army National Guard is called to fed ...
to
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, which had recently experienced several earthquakes. On January 15, he signed a $30 million funding bill for Ohio farmers to prevent
algal Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...
blooms, which went into effect on February 1. On January 27, DeWine signed Senate Bill 7, which gives military members and their spouses better employment opportunities by simplifying the process to transfer their occupational licenses to Ohio. In February 2020, he announced new distracted driving legislation he was sponsoring."Gov. Mike DeWine calls for expansion of Ohio's distracted driving laws"
, ''
Cleveland.com ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday. As of Ma ...
'', Andrew J. Tobias (February 13, 2020)
Also in February 2020, he attracted attention for declining to share his opinion about Ohio's death penalty, at the time having "frozen all Ohio executions indefinitely as the state struggles to find lethal-injection drugs"."Gov. Mike DeWine won't say what he thinks about Ohio's death penalty: Capitol Letter"
, ''
Cleveland.com ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday. As of Ma ...
'', Jeremy Pelzer (February 2020)
Informed of the public risk by
Ohio Department of Health The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for coordinating activities for child and family health services, children with medical handicaps, early intervention services, nutrition ...
Director
Amy Acton Amy Leigh Acton (née Stearns; ) is an American physician and public-health researcher who served as the director of the Ohio Department of Health from 2019–2020. She played a leading role in Ohio's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earl ...
, on March 3, DeWine canceled most of the
Arnold Sports Festival The International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness, IFBB Arnold Sports Festival, also known as the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival, is an annual multi-sport event consisting of professional bodybuilding (''Arnold Classic''), Strongman ( ...
due to the imminent threat of the
COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of Ohio on March 9, 2020, when the state's first cases were reported. The first death from COVID-19 in Ohio was reported on March 19. Subsequently, records supported by further ...
, before any cases or deaths were reported. The cancellation was widely regarded as "radical" at the time but was soon seen as less so, with ''
Axios Axios commonly refers to: * Axios (river), a river that runs through Greece and North Macedonia * ''Axios'' (website), an American news and information website Axios may also refer to: Brands and enterprises * Axios, a brand of suspension produ ...
'' calling DeWine "among the leading governors in the country sounding the alarm about the threat of the coronavirus" and ''The Washington Post'' calling his and Acton's response "a national guide to the crisis" and "textbook recommendations", pointing out numerous occasions when moves Ohio made were soon duplicated by other states. ''The Hill'' said DeWine had "been one of the most aggressive governors in responding to the pandemic". He has supported funding for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, signing his support of a funding bill along with 37 other governors in March 2020."Gov. Mike DeWine signs letter urging the Senate to pass emergency coronavirus bill"
, ''
Cleveland.com ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday. As of Ma ...
'' (March 5, 2020)
On March 11, 2020, DeWine issued an order limiting visitors to Ohio assisted living facilities and nursing homes, limiting visitors to one per day per resident, with all visitors to be screened for illness.Gov. DeWine issues order limiting visitors to nursing homes, assisting living facilities"
, ''
WEWS-TV WEWS-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, affiliated with ABC. It has been owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since its inception in 1946, making it one of two stations that have been built and signed on by Sc ...
'', Staff (March 11, 2020)
Also on March 11, he announced he was drafting legislation to limit mass gatherings in the state."Coronavirus In Ohio: DeWine Plans To Limit Mass Gatherings"
, '' WOSU'', Gabe Rosenberg (March 11, 2020)
DeWine barred spectators from sporting events; was first in the U.S. to shut down schools throughout his state; and, on the night before it was to take place, postponed Ohio's primary election. He directed the Ohio Department of Health to order the closing of the state's more than 22,000 food service locations and bars, except for carry-out. This was one of the earliest state closures of restaurants in response to the pandemic and drew disapproval from many high-level state Republicans. On April 1, the ''BBC'' called DeWine "quick to defer to Dr Acton for specific questions on the virus and its spread" during daily news briefings, "reminding Ohioans that the state's decisions are driven by science".


2022

During the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
, DeWine voiced support for Ukraine, saying that the invasion was "unacceptable, and all freedom-loving people should stand against this unprovoked invasion”. On February 26, he took action in support of Ukraine by banning the purchase and sale of
Russian Standard (vodka) Russian Standard ( rus, Ру́сский Станда́рт, r=Rússkу Standárt, p=ˈrusːkʲɪj stɐnˈdart) is a major Russian company producing the vodka brand of the same name. The brand was founded by Roustam Tariko in 1998. History The ...
within the state of Ohio because the brand and distilleries are owned by a Russian corporation. Retailers were asked to "immediately pull Green Mark Vodka" (an alternate variety of Russian Standard) "and Russian Standard Vodka from their shelves". On the same day, DeWine declared February 27, 2022, a "Day of Prayer for the People of Ukraine". On March 8, he directed the
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for supervising the state's public assistance, workforce development, unemployment compensation, child and adult prot ...
to convene with resettlement agencies, faith-based organizations, and charities, in a summit to plan for possible resettlement of displaced Ukrainian citizens within Ohio. This summit occurred on March 17.


Political positions


Abortion

In April 2019, DeWine signed House Bill 493, known as the
Ohio "Heartbeat Bill" A six-week abortion ban or early abortion ban, called a "heartbeat bill" or "fetal heartbeat bill" by proponents, is a form of abortion restriction legislation in the United States. These bans make abortion illegal as early as six weeks gestatio ...
, into law, prohibiting abortion after a heartbeat is detected in a fetus, with no exceptions for cases of rape and incest, imposing one of the nation's most extensive abortion restrictions. DeWine opposes abortion. In the Senate, he was the lead sponsor of the
Unborn Victims of Violence Act The Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-212) is a United States law that recognizes an embryo or fetus in utero as a legal victim, if they are injured or killed during the commission of any of over 60 listed federal crimes of ...
. In December 2020, DeWine signed a bill that said "fetal remains from surgical abortions in Ohio must be cremated or buried"; failure to do so would be a misdemeanor of the first degree.


Capital punishment

Although Catholic, DeWine has not joined the Pope and Catholic bishops in opposing the death penalty. He has not joined former governor Robert Taft, former attorney general Petro and former Speaker of the House Householder in calling for an end to Ohio executions. Taft cited the ineffectiveness of the death penalty as well as racial and geographic disparities in executions. Yet no executions have been conducted in Ohio since DeWine took office in January 2019, and he has delayed executions due to "ongoing problems involving the willingness of pharmaceutical suppliers to provide drugs to the Ohio Department". At present, there are no legally permitted execution methods in Ohio, following the abolition of lethal injection in the state.


Gerrymandering

In 2021, DeWine signed a redistricting map that favored Republicans. The map gave Republicans an advantage in 12 out of 15 districts, leaving two safely Democratic districts and one toss-up district. The map passed the Ohio legislature without any support from Democrats. Voting rights advocates called on DeWine to veto the pro-Republican redistricting map. In 2018, voters in Ohio voted in a referendum for anti-gerrymandering reform that encouraged bipartisan support for redistricting maps. The same year, DeWine pledged to honor the voters' wishes and support a redistricting process that was conducted in a bipartisan way. But in 2021 he approved the changes for 2022 onward.


Gun control

In 2004, DeWine cosponsored an amendment to renew the
Federal Assault Weapons Ban The Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, popularly known as the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB), was a subsection of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a United States federal law which include ...
. He has repeatedly received an "F" rating from the National Rifle Association. The National Rifle Association endorsed him for governor. DeWine was one of only two Republican senators to vote against the
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) is a U.S law, passed in 2005, that protects firearms manufacturers and dealers from being held liable when crimes have been committed with their products. Both arms manufacturers and dealers ...
, which banned lawsuits against gun manufacturers, distributors and dealers for criminal misuse of their products. In the 2006 election cycle, DeWine was the first senatorial candidate to be endorsed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence; he displayed the endorsement on his campaign webpage. In 2019, DeWine proposed a Red Flag Law for Ohio that would allow courts to take a gun from people seen as a threats to others or themselves.


Highway safety

As U.S. senator, DeWine joined a bipartisan effort to lower the national maximum blood-alcohol limit from 0.10% to 0.08% and to require reporting of vehicle-related deaths on private property like parking lots and driveways. He sponsored legislation on determining when aging tires become unsafe.


LGBT rights

DeWine opposes
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...
and sponsored the
Federal Marriage Amendment The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA), also referred to by proponents as the Marriage Protection Amendment, was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that would legally define marriage as a union of one man and one woman. The FMA ...
to the U.S. Constitution, which would have prevented same-sex marriage. He argued in the Supreme Court in favor of prohibitions on same-sex marriage, saying that same-sex marriage bans infringe on "no fundamental right" and that states should not have to recognize same-sex couples who married in other states. DeWine was acting as attorney general against
Jim Obergefell Jim Obergefell ( ; born 1966"Jim Obergefell." In ''Contemporary Authors Online''. Detroit, MI: Gale, 2017. ''Gale In Context: Biography'' (accessed September 11, 2019). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000322825/BIC?u=athe67392&sid=BIC&xid=72c64b ...
in the case ''
Obergefell v. Hodges ''Obergefell v. Hodges'', ( ), is a landmark LGBT rights case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protect ...
''. The Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling against DeWine and other defendants, finding same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional. In 2021, DeWine opposed a bill that would have banned transgender athletes from playing on sports teams that do not match their sex at birth, saying, "This issue is best addressed outside of government, through individual sports leagues and athletic associations, including the Ohio High School Athletic Association, who can tailor policies to meet the needs of their member athletes and member institutions."


Marijuana

In 2019 DeWine said: "it would really be a mistake for Ohio, by legislation, to say that marijuana for adults is just OK." In February 2020,
NORML The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML ) is a social welfare organization based in Washington, D.C., that advocates for the reform of marijuana laws in the United States regarding both medical and non-medical use. Acc ...
, a group advocating the
legalization of marijuana The legality of cannabis for medical and recreational use varies by country, in terms of its possession, distribution, and cultivation, and (in regards to medical) how it can be consumed and what medical conditions it can be used for. These ...
, gave DeWine an "F" rating in relation to his policies."Gov. Mike DeWine gets F in marijuana policy report card"
, ''
Cleveland.com ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday. As of Ma ...
'', Laura Hancock (February 6, 2020)


Net neutrality

As Attorney General of Ohio, DeWine did not join the lawsuits that over 22 states filed in the months following
FCC The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdictio ...
Commissioner
Ajit Pai Ajit Varadaraj Pai (; born January 10, 1973) is an American lawyer who served as chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 2017 to 2021. He has been a partner at the private-equity firm Searchlight Capital since April 20 ...
's proposal to roll back online consumer protections and net neutrality regulations.


Other

In 2020, DeWine signed a bill that forbids colleges and universities in Ohio blocking controversial speakers. In 2020, DeWine's compensation was 17th among state governors, at $159,189, compared to a maximum of $225,000 for the governor of New York and a minimum of $70,000 for the governor of Maine. The Ohio Checkbook shows that 92 employees of the Ohio state teachers retirement system, including director William Neville, equal or exceed the governor's salary.


Personal life

DeWine lives in the Whitelaw Reid House. He and his wife Frances have been married since June 3, 1967, and have had eight children, one of whom died in an automobile accident in 1993.
Ohio Supreme Court The Ohio Supreme Court, Officially known as The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio is the highest court in the U.S. state of Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution. The court has seven members, a ...
Justice
Pat DeWine Richard Patrick "Pat" DeWine (born February 22, 1968) is an American attorney, politician and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Ohio Supreme Court since 2017. He is the son of former United States Senate, U.S. Senator and Ohio Attorney ...
is Mike DeWine's son. Former Ohio Republican Party Chairman
Kevin DeWine Kevin DeWine (born October 11, 1967) is an American businessman and politician who chaired the Ohio Republican Party from 2009 until 2012. Previously, he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009. DeWine graduated from ...
is DeWine's
second cousin Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...
. DeWine and his family own Minor League Baseball's
Asheville Tourists The Asheville Tourists are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville teams have played under the Tourists moniker in differen ...
.


Electoral history


References


External links


Campaign website
* * * , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Dewine, Mike 1947 births 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians Activists from Ohio American gun control activists American people of Irish descent American prosecutors Catholics from Ohio Cedarville University faculty Claude W. Pettit College of Law alumni County district attorneys in Ohio Governors of Ohio Lieutenant Governors of Ohio Living people Miami University alumni Ohio Attorneys General Ohio lawyers Republican Party Ohio state senators People from Cedarville, Ohio People from Yellow Springs, Ohio Politicians from Springfield, Ohio Republican Party governors of Ohio Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio Republican Party United States senators from Ohio House impeachment managers