DeWine’s First Debate with Codray Ends up in Stark Contrasts

Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine opposed Democrat Richard Cordray, claiming that he would sign a restriction on a so-called heartbeat abortion procedure after Codray said he would veto the bill.

Codray and DeWine’s first debate at the University of Dayton on Wednesday resulted in very contrasting positions, including Issue 1, a statewide ballot item calling for reduced criminal sentences for non-violent drug offenses.

Codray stands behind Issue 1, claiming too many Ohio residents have ended up in jail for such offenses, and suggested that drug offenders deserve a more cost-effective and productive solution.

Meanwhile, Ohio governor DeWine is strongly opposing the issue, saying that lessening the penalties will only be a gateway to more drug dealing.

The message each candidate wanted to send Wednesday was clear. Cordray thinks DeWine and the Republican Party represent moneyed interests and an outdated way of thinking – and that the attorney general has failed in the past. Cordray came out in full support of access to abortion and for the legalization of recreational marijuana, both issues that resonate with young voters.

“We wanted to paint the contrast between myself and Mike DeWine,” Cordray said at a news conference following the debate. “For 42 years, he has sided with corporate interests and special interests, and I’ve been somebody who has fought those same interests. There is really a stark divide between us, and we really wanted to make that clear to people.”

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