Shows / Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Snollygoster takes an in-depth look at politics in Ohio. Each week we dig into the top political stories in Columbus and Ohio and explore national stories that impact the state by talking with politicians, reporters and other news-makers. (In case you're wondering, a "snollygoster" is a shrewd and unprincipled politician.)Listen to Snollygoster on the WOSU Public Media mobile app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Episodes
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastTrump’s pork, Obama’s jokes, and the last push for Ohio
Just one more weekend of muting political ads during football games and Jeopardy. Just a few more days for candidates to travel the state in their fancy buses…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastPolitics and a Pint and an extraordinarily nasty campaign | Snollygoster
It has been an extraordinarily ugly week in an already extraordinarily ugly campaign for governor.
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastEchoes of 2006: Can Ohio Democrats recreate a political wave?
According to the RealClear Polling average, Sherrod Brown has a 3-point lead, and Amy Acton has a 4-point lead over Vivek Ramaswamy. The races are still…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastDo we believe the polls? The governor's race turns a corner | Snollygoster
Two new polls show Amy Acton has a lead in the race for governor. A Suffolk University poll conducted for USA Today shows her with a 9-point lead over Vivek…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastCould a 38-cent gas tax holiday shake up the governor's race?
Gasoline prices have fallen a bit over the past week. Here in Columbus, they have gone down from $4.50 a gallon to about $4.30 a gallon, so a 20-cent drop…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastCrypto industry targets Sherrod Brown with $30 million ad campaign
This week, the leading crypto political action committee, Fairshake, said it plans to spend at least $30 million to support Sen. Jon Husted and oppose Brown.
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastIndependent voters favor Acton in new poll
We have a new poll to give us an idea of where Ohio voters' minds are as we approach the start of early voting. It is hard to believe, but Ohioans start…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastDoes Ohio need a constitutional amendment on voter ID?
Ohioans will vote on whether to put in the constitution a requirement that Ohio voters show a photo ID before they can cast a ballot. It is Issue 3 on the…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastAds vs. Substance in the Ohio Governor’s Race
The race for Ohio governor is heating up.
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastAmy Acton's appeal to moderates
The Democrat running for governor is doing her best to stay away from any kind of socialist label. She has taken some moderate stances in recent weeks.
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastLessons from Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan
What lessons can Ohio Democrats, or Ohio politicians in general, learn from Abdul El-Sayed's far-left progressive victory in that state's Senate primary?
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastRep. Max Miller resists calls to drop reelection bid amid bitter custody battle
Emily Moreno, in court filings, accuses Miller of physically abusing her and their 2-year-old daughter. Miller denies the allegations and says his ex-wife has…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastCandidates pitch their tax relief plans
Next to rising gas prices and grocery prices, property taxes have loomed as the symbol of affordability in Ohio. Thanks to rising property values and…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastOhio's 2026 money race is high-stakes for Senate and Governor
With an open governor's seat and control of the U.S. Senate at stake, candidates running for major office in Ohio this year are attracting lots of donations.
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastAd targets Husted on data center support
This week, we discuss the race for the U.S. Senate and Sherrod Brown’s slightly risky new ad, where he takes on Jon Husted and data centers.
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastPolitics and a pint
WOSU hosted a Politics and a Pint event last week. These events are a lot of fun. We get together at a Columbus-area brewpub and talk politics in front of a…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastDeath penalty politics
DeWine’s change in position seems little more than symbolic. Republican leaders in the Legislature support the death penalty. There is no movement ready to put…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastWhy Ohio’s governor wants to end capital punishment
Gov. Mike DeWine has come out against Ohio’s death penalty. This week, the conservative Republican governor, who co-sponsored the bill that reinstated capital…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastWhat's next for the property tax repeal effort?
The effort to abolish Ohio property taxes has failed – at least for now. The group collecting signatures to put an amendment on November’s ballot says it has…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastInside the allegations of Ohio Medicaid fraud
For weeks, DeWine has faced criticism from his fellow Republicans over allegations of widespread fraud in the state’s Medicaid system. It started with a report…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastThe next Ohio governor will be new to elected office
For the first time in eight years, Ohio will have a new governor. It will be someone from outside government: tech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, who briefly ran…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastKey Takeaways from the Ohio Primary
The candidates are set for Ohio's general election in November. There were no big surprises in this week’s primary.
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastPoll suggests Ohio may look more like a purple state in November
An important election is just around the corner. Ohio will elect a new governor and decide who will represent the state in the U.S. Senate. A new poll provides…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastThe Personal Turn in the Ohio Gubernatorial Race
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is out with a new ad where his wife shows off their new baby. In another ad, he goes after Democrat Amy Acton for her role in the…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastLooking Back To When Ohio Was Blue
We look back at a time when Ohio was blue politically, or at least purple. We talk with longtime Democratic activist Dale Butland, who worked for U.S. Sen…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastDemocrats plan for Vance 2028
The 2028 presidential campaign likely will start about a year from now, but Democrats are not waiting to take on a likely candidate: Ohioan and Vice President…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastTransparency at JobsOhio
JobsOhio is in the news not because of a big new project, but because of the role, however small, it played in the sudden resignation of Ohio State University…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastCitizens organize to stop data centers
As electric bills rise and data centers start to encroach upon suburbs and farmland, politicians are hearing from voters and starting to ask if data centers…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastInappropriate Access: Ohio State Pres. Ted Carter's resignation and the role of university presidents
While its end was unusual, Ted Carter’s tenure may not be all that uncommon. The job has always been difficult, but it seems to be increasingly challenging. To…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastOhio Politicians react to Iran War
Ohio’s congressional delegation largely split along partisan lines in reacting to the attacks on Iran. Vice President JD Vance once strongly said the US should…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastWexner's testimony
Les Wexner answered questions from members of the House Oversight Committee for about five hours about how much he knew about the sex offender and what role he…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastWexner's ties to Epstein and Ohio State
University officials say they are considering all the facts, and they have a process to consider the requests to remove Wexner’s name from the medical center…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Eliminating property taxes
The Tax Foundation says Ohio has the eighth-highest effective property tax rate in the country. Some residents are fed up. Citizens for Property Tax Reform…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastDeWine working to keep AEP headquarters in Ohio
AEP seemed to survive the storm pretty well, at least in Ohio. But the utility made news when Governor DeWine mentioned his administration is trying to keep…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
A closer look at Vice President JD Vance
It has been an eventful year for the Trump–Vance administration. We’ve focused more on Trump than Vance, but Vance has been more visible than many vice…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Anti-ICE protest vs. obstruction
Protests continue in Minnesota and across the country. Here in Central Ohio, there is no sign of intense ICE activity, but detentions continue. Ohio State…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio’s reaction to ICE's operations
The new year started with a firehose-like stream of political news. Venezuela, ICE activity, the tragic shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis and false daycare…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Poll shows glimmer of hope for Ohio Democrats
A new poll from Emerson College in Boston shows some interesting trends that likely give Ohio Democrats hope and give Republicans pause.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Nationwide Arena makeover could cost taxpayers
The public authority that owns the arena says it needs 400 million dollars—more than double the original cost—to renovate it. And it’s looking for taxpayers to…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
What Ohio's governor race will look like without Tim Ryan
Tim Ryan, the former congressman, former presidential candidate and former U.S. Senate candidate said he will not run for governor.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Debate over releasing the Epstein Files ends
President Trump campaigned on releasing the Epstein files and then refused to do so. He tried hard to persuade Congress to drop its demand to release them, but…
Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics PodcastLessons from Democrats’ success in the fall election
To examine the implications of the Democrats’ wins and look at how Ohioans voted on higher taxes for government services, we welcome our panel of experts…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio's new congressional map: Who's happy?
For those of us tired of talking about redistricting, we’re happy. The Ohio Redistricting Commission has approved a bipartisan map and the issue appears…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Bowling Green State University poll indicates Trump approval slipping in Ohio
We have a good snapshot of how Ohio voters are feeling, a year out from the election that will decide the governor’s office and Congress. Bowling Green State…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
From property to paycheck: Ohio’s tax shift debate
For homeowners worried about skyrocketing property tax bills, a radical solution is gaining traction, but experts warn that abolishing these taxes could cause…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Shutdown continues with no end in sight
There’s no sign of a compromise in the government shutdown. Democrats in the Senate are blocking a funding bill, demanding that Republicans agree to reverse…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Politics and a Pint and a government shutdown
It’s a Politics and a Pint edition of Snollygoster. As we did in August, we gathered about 200 of our closest friends at Seventh Son Brewing in Columbus, where…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Free speech concerns stoked as Nexstar and Sinclair continue Jimmy Kimmel boycott
The murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk fueled a lot of hyperbolic rhetoric and some serious consequences.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Finding a way forward after Kirk assassination
It has been more than a week since an assassin shot and killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. President Trump and Vice President Vance have…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio's map makeover
Lawmakers have begun the arduous process of drawing congressional districts for Ohio. Ohio Democrats did not support the two congressional maps passed four…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Politics and a Pint
In this episode, we revisit last week’s Politics and a Pint event held at Seventh Son Brewing in Columbus.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Sen. Jon Husted will face Sherrod Brown in the race to keep his seat
With a campaign video and email early Monday morning, the former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown announced he will take on Senator Jon Husted next year.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
What Sherrod Brown's Senate run means for Ohio politics
Brown is going to run for the U.S. Senate, the place he walked out of just eight months ago after losing a re-election bid to Republican Bernie Moreno.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio to redraw congressional districts
The drama over legislative district mapmaking isn’t limited to Texas, where Republicans and Democrats are in a standoff over efforts to redraw lines. Once…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Congressman Jim Jordan deposed in ongoing Ohio State University sex abuse lawsuit
There have been major developments in the ongoing lawsuit against Ohio State University by sexual assault victims of former OSU team doctor Richard Strauss.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Lawmakers in search of property tax solution
Ohio is in the early stages of a major fight over property taxes. Thanks largely to rapidly rising home values, property taxes have jumped on average about…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Is Columbus ready for the growth?
Once labeled a cow-town, known mainly for its college football team, Columbus is asserting itself as a major regional and national city and the growth…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
DeWine signs budget with 67 line-item vetoes
Gov. DeWine signed the biennial budget into law and made 67 line-item vetoes. He nixed a plan to allow counties to reduce property taxes if school districts…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
What’s up with Ohio Democrats?
The Ohio Democratic Party has a new chair. Amy Acton is building a campaign to run for Ohio governor. And everyone is waiting for Sherrod Brown to announce his…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
New budget plan would cut taxes for Ohioans making more than $100K annually
The third version of the state budget is out, and it proposes cutting taxes for any Ohioan making more than $100,000 a year. The State Senate would do that by…