Leadership

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has suspended his 2026 gubernatorial campaign, citing the Ohio Republican Party’s endorsement of entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and the backing Ramaswamy received from former President Donald Trump. Yost described the path to the nomination as a ” vertical cliff” and expressed a desire to avoid dividing the party over minor policy differences. He will continue serving as attorney general until January 2027 and hinted at a potential return to politics in the future.

Ramaswamy, now the leading Republican candidate, praised Yost’s public service. The GOP primary remains open, with Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel considering a run and businesswoman Heather Hill continuing her campaign. On the Democratic side, former Ohio health director Dr. Amy Acton is the sole declared candidate. 5/16/2025

This week, several key trade officials from Canada visited Columbus to discuss trade and tariffs with some of Ohio’s top officials and manufacturers.

Minister for the Economy for Quebec Chris Skeete visited OMA headquarters to discuss trade relations with Ohio, highlighting the Buckeye State as a top five trading partner of Quebec. Ohio is the number two exporter for the province in trucks, tractors, and diesel engines.

On Wednesday, Canadian Consul General Colin Bird met with OMA staff prior to speaking at the Columbus Metropolitan Club on Canada’s trade relationship with the U.S. and Ohio, and the implications of tariffs on that relationship. 5/21/2025

This week, The OMA testified against House Bill 199, warning that the bill would create regulatory inconsistency and harm Ohio’s manufacturing competitiveness. HB 199 proposes allowing off-road vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) to operate on public highways, expanding their permitted use under state law.

While the bill aims to standardize definitions and vehicle registration rules, it would result in a patchwork of local regulations, increasing compliance costs and creating inefficiencies in supply chains and complicating manufacturing operations. 5/20/2025

Ohio Republican Gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy secured the Ohio Republican Party’s endorsement a year before the 2026 primary in a meeting last Friday.

Ramaswamy cleared the two-thirds majority required by the governing body, with only three out of 63 party officials voting against the endorsement. This was despite last minute attempts by Governor Mike DeWine to delay the vote and an 11th-hour announcement from Lt. Governor Jim Tressel saying he hadn’t ruled out running.

Ramaswamy faces Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Appalachian businesswoman Heather Hill in the Republican primary. Yost said in a statement after the endorsement that he planned to “take a few days to consult with key supporters about the path forward — but the people of Ohio deserve a choice, not a premature coronation of an untested candidate.” 5/9/2025

This week, Anheuser-Busch announced its plan to invest $300 million in its facilities across America, including building a new regional facility in Columbus, Ohio.

The company, which makes Budweiser, Bud Light, Busch Light, and Michelob Ultra, has invested more than $2 billion in its 100 facilities in the U.S. over the past five years.

The beermaker said it will partner with national, state, and local partners and trade schools to expand technical training for manufacturing careers and upskill its entire regional technical workforce at the Columbus facility over the next three years. 5/13/2025

The Ohio House Technology & Innovation Committee this week heard testimony on House Bill 159, which would establish the Manufacturing Technologies Assistance Grant Program (MTAP).

Speaking as proponents of the bill, Eric Jenkusky, CEO and co-founder of T.J. Clark International LLC, and Jeff Spain, Senior Training and Performance Consultant at Columbus State Community College, highlighted how grants like MTAP drive long-term sustainability by allowing manufacturers to adopt and integrate smart technologies.

MTAP would provide up to $150,000 in grants, dependent on the size of the manufacturer and other factors, with $24 million in total over the biennium available. 5/13/2025

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is moving behind the scenes to prevent the Ohio GOP from endorsing Vivek Ramaswamy for governor, according to reports from NBC News.

DeWine, long seen as a moderate Republican, is rumored to favor recently appointed Lt. Governor Jim Tressel to succeed him. Tressel has signaled that he is not interested in running but has not entirely ruled it out.

Ramaswamy, who received an endorsement from President Donald Trump on the eve of his announcement, is the frontrunner in the GOP primary, according to a recent poll.

The Ohio GOP is set to meet this Friday to decide its endorsement. 5/5/2025

Democrat ex-Congressman Tim Ryan is reportedly “seriously considering” running for Ohio governor in 2026.

Ryan, who lost a competitive race for U.S. Senate in 2022 against now Vice-President JD Vance, would be the second Democrat to enter the race for governor. Dr. Amy Acton, the former state health director, launched her campaign last January.

Ryan was among the top three contenders for the Democratic primary in a Bowling Green State University poll taken earlier this year, coming in just behind Acton with 17 percent. 5/5/2025

Ohio voters approved continuing to fund the state’s major infrastructure projects through a $2.5 billion bond issue on the primary election ballot Tuesday.

The OMA-supported constitutional amendment will allow Ohio to issue bonds to help local governments pay for infrastructure projects, including roads and bridges, via the State Capital Improvement Program.

The program will fund $2.5 billion over 10 years without raising Ohioans’ taxes, though state taxes would be used to pay down the bonds over a 30-year period.

The bond program was first instituted in 1987, with voters approving it three times since – in 1995, 2005, and 2014. 5/7/2025

This week, the Ohio House passed House Bill 126, legislation protecting against misuse of public nuisance claims. Trial lawyers have pushed to expand public nuisance far beyond its intended scope in an attempt to profit off its misuse by applying it to the production and manufacturing of products. The Ohio Alliance for Civil Justice (OACJ), chaired by OMA’s Lindsey Short, testified in support of the legislation to help prevent lawsuit abuse.

House Bill 126 also expressly codifies the Ohio Supreme Court’s recent decision in In Re National Prescription Opiate Litigation, which held that all common law public nuisance claims arising from the sale of a product are abrogated by the Ohio Product Liability Act. The OACJ co-authored an op-ed with the American Tort Reform Association earlier this year applauding the Supreme Court’s decision. 5/7/2025

A new poll has entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy as the GOP favorite in Ohio’s 2026 governor race.

The poll, conducted in February by the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Democracy and Public Policy Research Network and YouGov, shows Ramaswamy leading the pack of Republican candidates, with 61 percent support from prospective GOP Ohio voters.

Ohio’s Lt. Governor Jim Tressel sits in second at 14 percent, with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost at 13 percent and Heather Hill rounding out the GOP primary with nine percent. BGSU noted that this poll was conducted before Ramaswamy received the endorsement from President Donald Trump.

For the Democrats, former Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown leads the pack with 59 percent. Brown has not entered the race, nor has he signaled his intent to. Former Ohio Health Director Amy Acton follows Brown with 17 percent. 4/30/2025

2026 Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is set to join the OMA Government Affairs Committee on Thursday, June 5, in Columbus, Ohio.

Mr. Ramaswamy will share his policy priorities related to Ohio’s manufacturing sector and discuss his broader economic vision for the state, giving OMA members the opportunity to hear how these proposed strategies and policies could shape the future of manufacturing in Ohio.

OMA staff will also update the committee on Ohio’s state budget progress, major energy reforms, and more.

Secure your seat today. 4/22/2025

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week outlined his plan to phase out certain artificial food dyes from U.S. food production by next year.

At a news conference with Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, the pair said the agencies are looking to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings and will work with the food industry to eliminate six synthetic dyes used in products like cereal, ice cream, yogurt, and other snack foods. 4/22/2025

Last week, State Senator Louis Blessing (R-Colerain Township) introduced the “Digital Fair Repair Act”, which would require any manufacturer that produces digital products to publish information publicly on the diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of their electronic or digital products, including both hardware and software.

The bill also prevents manufacturers from preventing or inhibiting the device from being repaired by a third party or using aftermarket tools or parts.

This is a continuation of the “Right to Repair” push in Ohio, with Senate Bill 73, also sponsored by Blessing, opposed by and defeated by the OMA in the previous General Assembly. 4/22/2025

OMA Connections Partner Verizon recently released their annual Data Breach Investigations Report, which analyzes real-world security incidents and provides a comprehensive examination of the state of cybercrime.

The report, which analyzed over 22,000 security incidents, including 12,195 confirmed data breaches, found that credential abuse and exploitation of vulnerabilities continue to be the leading initial attack vectors, highlighting the critical need for enhanced security measures. 4/23/2025

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday a lawsuit against President Donald Trump over the sweeping tariffs enacted by the president last month.

California, the world’s fifth-largest economy, is the first state to challenge Trump’s tariff policy in the courts, arguing that the president does not have authority to enact the tariffs under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act.

Meanwhile, the White House announced that China can expect up to a 245 percent tariff on imports to the U.S. “as a result of its retaliatory actions,” as the trade war between the world’s two largest economies continues to heat up.

Leaders from Japan were in Washington this week as well, looking to negotiate tariffs and “trade fairness” with the president. Japan has been hit with 24% levies on its exports to the United States, though those rates are included in the 90-day pause. 4/16/2025

This week, the OMA, along with 33 other state organizations, signed on to a joint letter through the Council of State Manufacturing Associations (COSMA) in support of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program (MEP).

The letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick detailed the importance of MEP programs across the nation and emphasized that a commitment by the administration to U.S. manufacturing included the critical funding that MEP provides.

MEP funding was cut earlier this month as part of the Trump administration’s plan to reduce federal spending, according to lawmakers and partner members. 4/15/2025

Global markets surged Wednesday as the Trump Administration announced a 90-day pause on some tariffs in order to negotiate.

The S&P 500 jumped 9.5% on Wednesday, its largest one-day percentage gain since the financial crisis of 2008. The Dow surged 7.9%—its biggest daily increase ever in point terms and the biggest percentage gain since the coronavirus swept the globe in March 2020.

The pause is tactical, according to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, allowing the U.S. to negotiate with countries in good faith while turning up the heat on China. 4/9/2025

As manufacturers continue to navigate the uncertainty surrounding the Trump-era tariffs, it’s critical to stay informed, exchange perspectives, and communicate with fellow industry leaders. The OMA will host Talking Tariffs: A Manufacturing Deep Dive on Thursday, April 17, noon to 1:30 p.m.

This members-only briefing will provide valuable insights into the latest trade and tariff developments, giving you the opportunity to hear from subject matter experts and engage in a meaningful dialogue with your community of manufacturers.

Presenters include:

• Edward (Ned) Hill, Ph.D., Professor of Economic Development emeritus, Ohio State University John Glenn College of Public Affairs
• Ann Collett, Senior Director of International Policy, National Association of Manufacturers

Register today. 4/8/2025

There will be only one ballot issue for voters during the May 6 primary this year.

State Issue 2 would amend the Ohio Constitution to allow the state to issue general obligation bonds to help local governments pay for capital improvement projects like roads and bridges, wastewater treatment systems, and more.

Issue 2 would not levy a new tax on Ohioans and is simply a continuation of the efforts first approved in 1987 and re-approved through three separate constitutional amendments since then. These amendments sunset, with the most recent amendment set to sunset on July 1. 4/7/2025