CINCINNATI — In a historic and "extraordinary" move, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine called the Ohio House into a special session to ensure Democratic President Joe Biden would appear on the ballot in the 2024 general election against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
In a press conference Thursday, DeWine said the Republican controlled legislature had failed to pass what he called a "simple" solution to the problem pointed out by Secretary of State Frank LaRose a month earlier.
"I've waited. I've been patient, and my patience has run out," DeWine said.
DeWine called on the House to move the deadline for consideration in an election.
Ohio law requires a candidate be certified for the election within 90 days of the contest, Aug. 7 this year, but the Democratic National Convention, where Biden would officially become the party's nominee, doesn't happen until Aug. 19.
DeWine said the legislature should simply move the deadline, as has been done in the past, to allow both major party candidates onto the ballot.
"Failing to do so is simply unacceptable," he said. "This is a ridiculous, an absurd situation."
State Representative Adam Mathews, (R) District 56, said he would happily return to Columbus to consider a bill.
"We want the people to be able to vote for their chosen candidates, and we believe Republicans will win the day," he said.
Republican Party Chair Alex Triantafilou issued a statement in the wake of DeWine calling a special session.
“Although we are confident that Donald Trump will win decisively in November, we agree wholeheartedly with the Governor’s decision to call the legislature into an emergency session to place Joe Biden on the November ballot.
We, along with our Senate nominee Bernie Moreno, Senator JD Vance, and countless other Republicans, strongly support the idea that Ohioans deserve the opportunity to cast their votes for their preferred major-party candidate and that we also deserve to have elections that are free from foreign financial interests.
We encourage all legislators to get this done for the good of all Ohioans.”
The House will reconvene for the special session on Tuesday.
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