Leadership

Looking Ahead: 2024’s U.S. Senate Races

Days after the Nov. 8 election, America still doesn’t know which party will control the U.S. House or U.S. Senate.

What we do know is both parties on Capitol Hill are eyeing the 2024 election. That’s when Democrats will defend 23 U.S. Senate seats (including two held by independents who caucus with Democrats). Eleven of these seats represent states that should be competitive, including Ohio.

Republicans, meanwhile, will defend just 10 seats — or 11 if U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) resigns in January, as expected. All of these seats are considered safe for the GOP. 11/10/2022

OMA Issues Action Alerts

With lawmakers set to return to the Statehouse the week of Nov. 14, the OMA has issued this action alert addressing three separate measures, all of which the OMA opposes. The bills include:

• Union Hiring Mandate – House Bill 235: Would infringe on employer rights by forcing defined manufacturers across Ohio to hire union workers, while creating a precedent that could impact other industries. Read this expert analysis, then take action by contacting your representatives via OMA’s Advocacy Center.
• Construction Contract Mandate – House Bill 68: Would set the payment terms in construction contracts and eliminate the owner’s right to negotiate, requiring all contracts to be paid within 30 days. It would also impose an 18% rate on payments not made in 30 days. Read the OMA’s testimony and this analysis from OMA general counsel Bricker & Eckler — then take action.

The OMA is also opposed to legislation that would overhaul Ohio’s electric ratemaking mechanism (see separate story). 11/10/2022

Four Steps to Improve Your Supply Chain Forecasting

Across the U.S., manufacturers are improving efficiencies via supply chain forecasting. Because every company is different, there’s no single strategy for improving forecasts — but OMA Connections Partner Plante Moran has published this four-step analysis to help develop a supply chain strategy. 11/9/2022

Manufacturers Vote 2022

Solid voter turnout is expected across Ohio on Election Day, Nov. 8. Polls will be open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. As a reminder, Nov. 7 is the deadline for absentee ballot postmarks and the last day for early in-person voting.

If you or your employees need Ohio-specific voting resources — including polling place information — check out the Ohio Manufacturers’ Voter Toolkit. To learn about the candidates — or for insight on Ohio’s newly drawn legislative and congressional districts — see the OMA’s Ohio Election Guide.

Next week, the OMA will produce a post-election report, summarizing the results from Ohio’s key races. Members of the Government Affairs Committee should watch their inbox for this document. (Email OMA staff to get engaged with this committee.) Also, more analysis will be provided at the Nov. 16 GAC meeting. Register now. 11/2/2022

Bail Reform, Non-Citizen Voting on Ohio’s 2022 Ballot

Ohio voters will decide two statewide issues in this month’s general election — bail reform and voting by non-citizens. (Here is the ballot language for both constitutional amendments.)

A “yes” vote for Issue 1 would allow judges to consider public safety when setting the amount for cash bail. It would also remove the state Supreme Court’s authority to set the rules on bail. State lawmakers voted to include this constitutional amendment (HJR 2) on the ballot after the court ruled in a 4-3 decision that judges may not consider public safety when setting bail.

A “yes” vote for Issue 2 — put forth by state lawmakers under HJR 4 — would prohibit non-citizens from voting in all elections. While only U.S. citizens are permitted to cast votes in federal and state elections, Ohio’s law is silent on whether that ban applies in local elections, according to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican and supporter of the proposed amendment. 11/2/2022

Study: Ohio Is Best Midwestern State for Business

Ohio has the nation’s sixth-best business climate, according to Site Selection magazine‘s 2022 comparison. The rankings are based on surveys of corporate executives and site selectors, as well as on an index of new projects and other criteria. 11/2/2022

ISM Index: Manufacturing Continues Modest Expansion

The Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index continued to indicate an expansion in October, although at the slowest pace since May 2020. New orders for goods continued to decline — but at a slower pace — while employment was neutral. Read this summary by OMA Connections Partner RSM. 11/1/2022

In September, Ohio Led U.S. in New Manufacturing Jobs

Ohio created the most net new manufacturing jobs in September, adding 8,700 workers. That’s more than three times the growth in second-place Pennsylvania, according to Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers.

From September 2021 to September 2022, the Buckeye State added more than 23,000 manufacturing positions — the fifth-largest gain among all states. Ohio now has more than 690,000 manufacturing jobs. 10/24/2022

OMA Releases Radio Ad in Support of Supreme Court Candidates

As previously reported, the OMA Political Action Committee has endorsed Supreme Court of Ohio Justices Sharon Kennedy, Pat DeWine, and Pat Fischer for re-election. To support the campaigns of all three justices, the OMA has released this radio ad, now being broadcast statewide.

The OMA-PAC has weighed in on the Supreme Court races because the court will impact Ohio’s long-term legal climate and manufacturing competitiveness. Here’s a printable pocket card and key points for OMA members. 10/27/2022

OMA Members Invited to Fox News Town Hall

Fox News Channel will host a town hall with Ohio U.S. Senate candidates U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D) and J.D. Vance (R) at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1 in Columbus. Fox News has invited OMA members to attend. Reserve your spot.

Polling continues to indicate a statistical tie between the two candidates, with Vance holding a slight lead in the Real Clear Politics average of polls. Another polling aggregation website, FiveThirtyEight, says Vance has a better than 70% chance of winning. 10/27/2022