Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine (R) and his wife, Fran, made a last-minute campaign stop at the Delaware Republican Party Headquarters Monday in downtown Delaware as part of DeWine’s Rock Solid Conservative Tour.
“Delaware is an important county in the primary and the general election,” DeWine said after he and his wife were introduced by Tina Husted, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s wife.
DeWine and Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor are each vying for the Republican nomination for Ohio governor in today’s primary election.
DeWine said Jon Husted, his running mate, was in northwest Ohio when they last talked Monday morning. He said the good thing about having a great running mate is that the two of them could split up, with one covering one part of the state, while the other covers another part.
During DeWine’s remarks, he said, “In my experience, there’s never been someone who has run for lieutenant governor who has been as well prepared,” he said. “And not only to be lieutenant governor, but to really make a huge contribution when (we) take office.”
During the introduction, Tina Husted said people trust DeWine, but then asked: “Why do they trust him?” She said it was because he has been a champion for so many issues like organ donation and that he is “relentless in supporting family values.”
DeWine’s special guest, State Rep. Robert Sprague, candidate for Ohio treasurer, gave some brief comments in which he said the issue of heroin addiction is something he and DeWine agree on.
DeWine said that he had gotten to know Sprague over the opioid issue.
“He took the time to really study the issue,” DeWine said. “He went out and learned everything he could.”
Sprague told DeWine that once he is sworn in as treasurer of state, he planned to create a “social impact fund to address the real problems people face in the state of Ohio.”
DeWine said that the team was down to the wire “for those people who are still trying to decide.”
“I think one of the things I would tell them would be to look at Jon Husted and Mike DeWine,” he said. “We’re the people who have done it. We’re the people who have gotten things done. We’re the people who have fixed problems.”
DeWine said that it’s one thing to talk about being a conservative and about being pro-life, but that it is something else to have gone out and worked for it.
“We’re the ticket that’s got it done,” he said. “Tomorrow night will be when Republicans and conservatives need to come together because what divides us is so small, really so small compared to what unites us all.”
DeWine said the one thing that he has always done throughout his career is to bring people together to solve and deal with the state’s problems.
“We have a great state,” he said. “We have an amazing future ahead of us, for your kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.”
DeWine said he thought the spotlight is coming back to the heartland.
“We’ve had seven-plus good years, but we’ve got to take it to the next level,” he said. “We have the team and vision to do it. We’ll articulate for the next few months what our vision is for the state of Ohio.”
DeWine said the two biggest challenges the state faces has to do with education. He said the first was the gaps in the skill level and education. The other challenge is the drug problem.
