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 Podcast
Ohio lawmakers explore income tax cuts as property taxes rise
Taxes have come to dominate the political debate in Washington, and they loom as a growing concern at the Ohio Statehouse.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
A shakeup in the Republican race for Ohio governor
Attorney General Dave Yost has dropped out of the campaign for governor. Yost said his steep climb to the nomination had become a vertical cliff. For now…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Majority of Ohioans anticipate negative impact from tariffs, poll reveals
A panel of experts breaks down President Trump's falling approval numbers in polls and the uncertainty over tariffs.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
New poll shows decline in Trump approval among Ohio voters
A new poll shows Trump has a 47% approval rating while 48% disapprove—a statistical tie—but that number is down 7 points from February. The poll’s co-director…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Public financing for professional sports facilities
The Browns are looking to move to a new domed stadium in suburban Cleveland. And state lawmakers seem eager to help. The governor wants to tax sports betting…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
What will Sherrod do?
Last week, former Sen. Sherrod Brown announced the formation of the Dignity of Work Institute. The goal, he says, is to help Democrats and Republicans better…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Is eliminating Ohio's income tax feasible?
If you're a politician who wants to get elected, promising tax cuts is a popular strategy. Republican candidates for governor are doing just that, floating the…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
DOGE Ohio
The Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, could be coming to Ohio. We discuss what that might look like with a panel of political observers.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
DeWine calls for mandatory life skills lessons, phone-free schools in State of the State
Gov. DeWine gave his State of the State address this week and said things are going pretty well. He called for mandatory basic skills lessons in school—things…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ramaswamy kicks off his campaign with Trump's endorsement
Vivek Ramaswamy officially launched his run for governor this week with several rallies. The wealthy entrepreneur, who burst on the scene in 2023 with his run…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
The 2026 race for Ohio governor takes shape
It's week two of the Jim Tressel era at the Ohio Statehouse and he has not set up a campaign website... yet. Meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy has filed preliminary…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
DeWine's unexpected play: Ex-Buckeye Coach Tressel to serve as Lt. Governor
Mike DeWine did keep his Lt. Governor pick a secret until he and Jim Tressel walked before cameras on Monday morning. To the surprise of everyone, he announced…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio's response to President Trump’s immigration round up
Our roundtable discussion covers President Trump’s immigration round-up, the move to end capital punishment in Ohio, and a proposal to change Ohio’s fairly new…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Trump reverses federal funding freeze after icy reception
Advocacy groups believe Trump's rescinded federal funding freeze would have disrupted the Ohio budget process and jeopardized critical programs. Hannah…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Husted heads to the US Senate
After months of speculation, Gov Mike DeWine announced that Jon Husted was his pick to be the next U.S. Senator from Ohio. Of course, Husted is replacing…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Senate appointment turns into political drama
This DeWine appointment to the U.S. Senate has become a bit of a soap opera. Joining us to try to help us understand this is long-time Republican strategist…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
DeWine's decision to fill Vance's vacancy looms
Former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton ended speculation and announced this week that she will indeed run for governor next year as a Democrat. Meanwhile…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
The political rollercoaster that was 2024
In the 248 years of America's existence, there have been tumultuous years and 2024 is going to be right up there. Joining the show to relive the memories is…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Lame duck legislators work overtime before the end of the year
The legislative session between Election Day and the end of the legislative term is always a busy one. Maybe lawmakers are just like the rest of us and they…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
After redistricting reform defeat, state senator calls for enlarging Ohio Legislature
Voters last month soundly rejected a measure that would have appointed an independent, non-political commission to draw legislative and congressional lines. An…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Statehouse Shuffle: Ohio Senate leader Huffman poised to take House speakership
The House Republican caucus voted unanimously to nominate current Senate President Matt Huffman to be the next House Speaker. Joining us to discuss this shrewd…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Trump picking a cabinet and DeWine picking a senator
President-elect Donald Trump continues to build his cabinet. Gov. Mike DeWine continues to take calls from almost every Republican officeholder in the state…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
GOP dominates Ohio elections
Donald Trump rolled to a swing state sweep. Bernie Moreno rode President Trump's coattails to Washington. Republicans swept all three contested seats on the…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Polls show an extremely tight race for President
If the polls are to be believed, the candidates for President are tied nationally, and in the seven swing states. Joining the show this week is Anna Staver…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Candidates make their final pitch to voters
Just a dozen days remain, and the candidates for president are done with microtargeting by trying to appeal to narrow groups of voters. They are making their…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Obama's pitch for African American support of Harris
A New York Times/Siena College poll last week showed Harris’s support among Black voters was less than Joe Biden received in 2020. Joining the show to discuss…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Latest Ohio poll finds Trump and Brown ahead
National polling firms and out-of-state universities don’t survey Ohio voters as much as they did in the first 15 years of this century. But there are polls…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
A very Midwestern debate
There were some sharp critiques, but a whole lot of passive aggressiveness and a fair amount of substance. Overall, the vice-presidential candidates spent most…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
More platforms, more ads: Ohio's $400 million campaign budget
Experts predict ad spending in Ohio will top $400 million. Nearly a half billion dollars will be spent to get you to vote for a U.S. Senator, decide a…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Baseless accusations fuel fear and division in Springfield
Another week of bomb threats has disturbed Springfield, Ohio. This all follows Sen. JD Vance's and former President Donald Trump's lies that Haitian immigrants…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
State of Religion: Changing religious landscape in Ohio
Evangelical protestants are the fastest growing religious tradition in Ohio. In part 4 of WOSU's State of Religions series, we look at the demographic shifts…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
State of Religion: Ohio lawmakers on faith and policy
It’s hard to fault lawmakers for letting religious beliefs guide decisions, but where is the line between following morals and degrading the separation of…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
State of Religion: Christian conservatism and its influence on Ohio legislation
All this week, WOSU is examining the intersection of religion and politics in Ohio. In Part 2 of WOSU's State of Religion series, we're examining how…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
State of Religion: Ohio's religious tapestry - the historical roots and cultural evolution
Ohio’s diverse religious history from early settlers to the present day has shaped the state's cultural fabric. In this four-part series, the WOSU News team…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Post-debate reflections: Fact-checking, policy and political theatre
Mentions of crowd sizes and eating pets were just two moments from what was an incredible piece of political theater during the first and possibly only debate…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Nine weeks until Election Day
Usually, Labor Day marks the start of the home stretch of a presidential campaign, but this campaign only began six weeks ago. Ohio State political science…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Politics and a pint
This week, we’re doing something a little different. We’ll be listening to WOSU's most recent Politics and a Pint event where three political reporters and…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
DeWine looks to Iowa for a better redistricting process
Ohioans will vote in November on a plan to change the way the state draws its legislative districts. Some don't like the plan and think Iowa has a system worth…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Midwest influence: VP picks and the 2024 election
Midwesterners have cornered the market on vice presidential candidates for the 2024 election. This week Vice President Kamala Harris named Minnesota Gov. Tim…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
How the new presidential race is playing out in Ohio
To get a handle on how this is playing out in Ohio, we talked to four veteran political observers: progressive activist Morgan Harper, Republican strategist…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Passing the torch
There is a new likely Democratic nominee for President of the United States. Former Ohio Democratic Chair David Pepper—a man who has been through candidate…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
JD Vance joins the Trump ticket
Former President Donald Trump ended all speculation and named Ohio’s junior U.S. Senator, JD Vance, as his running mate this week at the Republican National…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio minimum wage increase not on 2024 ballot
Voters will not get the chance to increase Ohio’s minimum wage in this year’s election. Supporters of an effort to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Protecting the integrity of elections
With the 2024 election just around the corner, the former president continues to warn of a rigged election months before ballots are cast. Fair election…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Debate prep
Next week, Biden and Trump will meet again on the debate stage. CNN will host the first of two scheduled debates at its studios in Atlanta. Republican…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
New Ohio law tightens rules on issues, campaigns and foreign contributions
In order to extend the campaign filing deadline so President Biden’s name would appear on the Ohio ballot, lawmakers insisted on another law banning foreign…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Will young voters turn out for Biden?
It looks like Ohio voters will get the chance to vote for Joe Biden for president if they choose, but it’s been a tortuous process to get there. Meanwhile…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Biden trails Trump in key battleground state polling
The polling news was not good for President Joe Biden this week. He is trailing Trump in some swing states. Long-time Democratic strategist Dale Butland joins…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
The economics of replacing Ohio's sports venues
Many of our major professional sports stadiums are between 20 and 30 years old, about the time owners start thinking of major renovations or new homes. Victor…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
New report breaks down Ohio's gerrymandering
It is no secret that Ohio’s congressional and legislative districts are gerrymandered to the extreme. The Brennan Center's Yuri Rudensky joins the show to…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
FirstEnergy dark money tied to DeWine's gubernatorial campaign
This past week, we learned that First Energy gave $2.5 million to a group that helped Mike DeWine be elected governor in 2018. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Rolling out legal recreational marijuana in Ohio
Remember Issue 2? The one Ohio voters passed last November? The one that makes recreational marijuana legal in Ohio? Attorney Tom Haren joins the show to talk…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio Public Utilities Ex-Chairman Sam Randazzo found dead amid bribery indictments
This week, former Ohio Public Utilities chairman Sam Randazzo died of an apparent suicide. We discuss the role he played in the nuclear bailout scandal with…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
The Randazzler
Sam Randazzo’s texts and memes come back to haunt him.
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Trump Country
As we saw in last week's election, Ohio firmly remains firmly Trump Country. His endorsement of Bernie Moreno led to the Cleveland businessman's landslide…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Trump endorsement propels Bernie Moreno to Republican Senate nomination
There can be no doubt—at least for the Republican party—that Ohio is firmly MAGA country. A crowded primary for the U.S. Senate revealed a clear choice for…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Matt Dolan surges ahead in Ohio senate race, leads polls
Suddenly, Matt Dolan has become the center of attention in the Republican U.S. Senate Primary in Ohio. Ohio Statehouse News Bureau Chief Karen Kasler joins the…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio Congressional race tightens: Majewski faces fresh controversy
Ohio's 9th Congressional District was a pretty safe Democratic district for years. It is much more competitive now, and Republicans think they have a shot…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Ohio GOP Senate hopefuls debate policies, past remarks
Primary Election Month is here. Early voting began Wednesday. The big race in Ohio is the GOP primary for the US Senate, with the winner getting to take on…
- Snollygoster | Ohio's Politics Podcast
Manchin criticizes Biden's policies during Ohio listening tour
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin was in Ohio this week on a listening tour. During his appearances, the Democrat promoted the new political group Americans…