A Stronger Ohio was a Democratic political action committee that operated during the 2018 election to support the then-Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee, former state Attorney General and Obama administration Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Richard Cordray. ¹ The majority of its funding came from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) and it primarily ran ads supporting Cordray. ^{2 3}

Background

In 2018, the Democratic Governors Association created A Stronger Ohio, a political action committee that campaigned in support of then-Democratic gubernatorial nominee Richard Cordray. Between July 1 and September 30, 2018, A Stronger Ohio raised $2.8 million and spent $2.5 million on advertising. ⁴

As reported by the Democratic Governors Association, A Stronger Ohio released a series of ads opposing then-Ohio Republican gubernatorial nominee and state Attorney General Mike DeWine during the 2018 election as well as in support of Democratic nominee Richard Cordray. Its ads criticized DeWine for suing to allow health insurance companies to deny coverage for individuals with pre-existing coverage as well as for opposing price fixing of prescription medicines and for supporting funding reductions for Medicaid. A Stronger Ohio also promoted Cordray’s positions on increasing funding for Medicaid and job training programs. ^{5 6 7}

Ad Campaigns

In August 2018, A Stronger Ohio published an ad criticizing the then-Ohio Republican gubernatorial nominee and state Attorney General Mike DeWine for receiving funding from so-called “dark money” organizations. The ad supported the then-Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee, former state Attorney General and Obama administration Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Richard Cordray based on his history suing financial companies, pharmaceutical companies, and large companies on behalf of employees. It also promoted Corday’s positions on funding job training and Medicaid. ^{8 9}

In October 2018, A Stronger Ohio released an ad campaign that criticized DeWine, for accepting donations from health care and insurance companies during his political career and for a lawsuit in which DeWine sued to allow insurance companies to deny individuals with pre-existing conditions when he was attorney general of Ohio. The ad promoted Cordray for supporting increased funding to Medicaid. ^{10 11}

Later in October 2018, A Stronger Ohio released an ad campaign that reiterated previous ads that criticized DeWine for voting to reduce funding for Medicaid, for suing to allow insurance companies to deny individuals with pre-existing conditions, and for accepting donations from “special interest groups,” specifically health care and insurance companies. The ad also criticized DeWine for voting against price-fixing of prescription medicines and argued that his right-of-center policies on healthcare funding and regulations only benefit healthcare companies. ^{12 13}

Funding

During the 2018 election cycle, A Stronger Ohio received $12.3 million in contributions. Its largest donor was the Democratic Governors Association, which donated over $8.4 million. Other donors include AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Teamsters, and Ohio Progressive Collaborative. ¹⁴

In November 2018, the Energy and Policy Institute reported that FirstEnergy, an Ohio-based electric utility company, contributed $102,500 to the DGA prior to the committee spending $550,000 to create A Stronger Ohio. The Energy Policy Institute associated FirstEnergy’s donation with Cordray supporting a “bailout” of FirstEnergy’s bankrupt nuclear power plant. ¹⁵ FirstEnergy’s largest individual contribution during the 2018 election cycle was $250,000 to A Stronger Ohio, which came in October 2018. Following the election, Cleveland.com reported that FirstEnergy lobbied with campaigns and made contributions in efforts to obtain support from candidates for public funding of its nuclear energy plants. ¹⁶

1. Ludlow, Randy. “Outside Groups Pouring in Millions to Influence Ohio Governor’s Race.” The Columbus Dispatch, October 16, 2018. https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/elections/state/2018/10/15/outside-groups-pouring-in-millions/9539991007/.
2. “Top Organizations Disclosing Donations to a Stronger Ohio, 2018.” OpenSecrets. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2018?cmte=C00672675&tab=donors.
3. “Expenditures by a Stronger Ohio, 2018.” OpenSecrets. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2018?cmte=C00672675&tab=expenditures.
4. Ludlow, Randy. “Outside Groups Pouring in Millions to Influence Ohio Governor’s Race.” The Columbus Dispatch, October 16, 2018. https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/elections/state/2018/10/15/outside-groups-pouring-in-millions/9539991007/.
5. “Backed Group Launches New AD in Ohio.” DGA, June 28, 2021. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-backed-group-launches-new-ad-in-ohio-3/.
6. “Backed Group Launches New AD in Ohio.” DGA, June 28, 2021. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-backed-group-launches-new-ad-in-ohio-2/.
7. “Backed Group Launches New AD in Ohio.” DGA, June 28, 2021. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-backed-group-launches-new-ad-in-ohio/.
8. “Backed Group Launches New AD in Ohio.” DGA, June 28, 2021. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-backed-group-launches-new-ad-in-ohio/.
9. “A Governor for All of Us.” YouTube, August 21, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w8ttB4G2lY.
10. “Backed Group Launches New AD in Ohio.” DGA, June 28, 2021. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-backed-group-launches-new-ad-in-ohio-2/.
11. “Path.” YouTube, October 22, 2018. https://youtu.be/oXpH783GX08?si=aa9W5Up9lr_TzkPe.
12. “Backed Group Launches New AD in Ohio.” DGA, June 28, 2021. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-backed-group-launches-new-ad-in-ohio-3/.
13. “All across Ohio.” YouTube, October 29, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_pG0mWqb8U.
14. “Top Organizations Disclosing Donations to a Stronger Ohio, 2018.” OpenSecrets. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2018?cmte=C00672675&tab=donors.
15. “How Electric Utilities and Their Executives Contributed in Nine Governor Races.” Energy and Policy Institute, September 12, 2019. https://energyandpolicy.org/utilities-governor-races/.
16. Tobias, Andrew J. “FirstEnergy and Its Allies, Seeking Nuclear Plant Bailout, Have Spent Millions on Influence Campaign.” cleveland.com, April 17, 2019. https://www.cleveland.com/open/2019/04/firstenergy-and-its-allies-seeking-nuclear-plant-bailout-have-spent-millions-on-influence-campaign.html.