Voters Reject State Issue Two

A year after Gov. John Kasich and legislative Republicans were swept into office, Ohio voters delivered them a stinging rebuke yesterday, striking down an extensive curtailing of public-union power that Republican leaders had hoped to make a centerpiece accomplishment of 2011.

An effort that started last winter with thousands of Statehouse protestors and gained speed with the collection of a record 915,000 signatures ended with unions and their supporters drubbing Issue 2 by 61 percent to 39 percent, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

“They might’ve said it was too much too soon,” said a contrite Kasich of Ohio’s electorate, analyzing the apparent landslide defeat handed to him and his GOP colleagues.

Kasich, who was the face of the pro-Issue 2 campaign, House Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, and Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, held a news conference at the Statehouse last night.

But amidst all of the concessions and hat-in-hand rhetoric, there was a hint of defiance. Kasich, who opened by congratulating the labor coalition, said local governments should not expect a state bailout to manage their costs.

“There is no bailout because frankly, there’s no money,” Kasich said.

With a beer in his hand and a smile on his face at the We Are Ohio celebration at the Hyatt Regency, Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern said public workers should not be the scapegoats for the state’s economic problems. “That is the lesson John Kasich must remember after tonight, and if he doesn’t, he’ll be a one-term governor."

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