Last November, 57 percent of Ohio voters approved a ballot measure amending the state constitution to establish a right to “make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions,” including decisions about abortion, contraception and fertility treatments.
Then on March 19, Bernie Moreno, who describes himself as "absolutely pro-life, no exceptions," won the Republican nomination to run against three-term Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown. Brown has been a staunch advocate for abortion rights throughout his time in office.
Moreno received half of the million votes cast, a quarter of all Republicans. Ohio has 8 million registered voters. On Tuesday half a million of them cast a ballot for Bernie Moreno, who has Donald Trump's endorsement despite Moreno's extreme position on abortion.
This Ohio race, which could well decide which party controls the Senate, is far from over. And the value of Moreno's Trump endorsement is of dubious value in November.
Biden has taken the lead in polls taken since the State of the Union, and he's now favored by donors large and small, including many who had previously backed Nikki Haley.
What's happening in Ohio bodes well for Sen. Jacky Rosen, whose solid pro-choice credentials earned her an endorsement from Reproductive Freedom for All, the nation's leading abortion rights group.
Her likely opponent, Sam Brown, opposes all federal funding for abortion, including for women who rely on Medicaid for their health care. On the issue of reproductive rights, the choice in November could hardly be more clear.
Rich Dunn
Carson City