Ohio Republicans on the Brink: A Looming Disaster

Ohio Republicans face a potential defeat in a special election on a ballot measure aiming to make it harder to enact abortion protections in the state constitution. Although abortion is not explicitly on the ballot, early voting figures show a surge in Democratic participation, suggesting a significant defeat for Republicans. The measure, State Issue 1, seeks to replace the current simple majority requirement for constitutional amendments with a 60 percent threshold. Democrats have criticized Republicans for holding a special election after eliminating August elections due to cost and low turnout. Recent polling indicates that a majority of Ohio voters support enshrining abortion protections in the state constitution. The election is seen as a test of voter attitudes on abortion in the battleground state following the Supreme Court's decision to repeal Roe v. Wade.