Whaley becomes first woman nominated by major party for Ohio governor, will face DeWine

Whaley defeats Cranley in Democratic primary for Ohio governor

Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley won the Democratic primary for Ohio governor in a commanding fashion, becoming the first woman to win a major party’s nomination for the job.

Whaley defeated former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, a friend and colleague, in a race that was largely cordial but involved a late-campaign spat pitting her leadership in Dayton against his in Cincinnati.

Whaley now sets her sights on Gov. Mike DeWine, who easily won the GOP nomination. Whaley and running mate Cheryl Stephens, a Cuyahoga County Council member, campaigned on the idea that “Ohio deserves better” than the policies that Republicans have imposed over the years.

Expect Whaley to focus on corruption at the Ohio Statehouse tied to a $1 billion nuclear bailout and abortion access as the landmark Roe v. Wade decision is likely hanging by a thread.

Whaley won the primary without an endorsement from the Ohio Democratic Party, which remained neutral in the race.

DeWine defeats challengers in GOP primary

Gov. Mike DeWine easily won the Republican party’s nomination over a crowded field – despite frustrations about how the longtime politician handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

DeWine, 75, of Cedarville, defeated former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, Canal Winchester farmer Joe Blystone and former state Rep. Ron Hood to win the GOP nomination. He had won 56.6% of the vote when the Associated Press called the race at 8:16 p.m. Tuesday.

DeWine is among the state's best-known politicians, having served as a U.S. senator and representative, lieutenant governor, state senator and most recently attorney general. He was on Ohioans' television and computer screens daily amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

It would be difficult to find an Ohioan who doesn't know DeWine.

But his Republican competitors were banking on GOP voters not liking what they knew: The governor closed businesses, schools and polling locations to slow the spread of COVID-19. His record on guns was mixed over the decades. He doesn't spend much time talking about former President Donald Trump.

A single, focused candidate might have skewered DeWine for these positions, but the field was too large and disorganized to mount a credible campaign as the anti-DeWine candidate.

Renacci, who came in second with 25.7% of the vote, spent time attacking Blystone rather than focusing on DeWine. Renacci, who lost a U.S. Senate bid to Democrat Sherrod Brown in 2018, repeated the same errors in his previous race: donating large sums to his own campaign but not spending enough of it on advertisements.

Blystone captured some grassroots support, appealing to voters as an outsider candidate. But his campaign was messy with high turnover among volunteer staff and incomplete campaign finance reports.

Former state Rep. Ron Hood and running mate Candice Keller were last-minute entries into the race and barely registered with most voters.

DeWine enters the fall race as the heavy favorite in a state that elected former President Donald Trump by 8 percentage points, twice. He has name recognition and a campaign war chest that Democrats can't hope to match. Add to that President Joe Biden's poor approval ratings and November could be a tough road for Democrats.

But Democratic candidate Nan Whaley, who was leading Tuesday night, hopes to attack DeWine on corruption at the Ohio Statehouse and access to abortion, which is in a precarious spot with the U.S. Supreme Cour

Earlier story:

In today's election, Gov. Mike DeWine expects to fend off challenges from three Republicans, and two Southwest Ohio mayors face off in the Democratic primary.

In his reelection bid, DeWine is up against former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, farmer Joe Blystone and ex-state Rep. Ron Hood for the GOP nomination. Each challenger has tried to capitalize on voters' frustrations with DeWine closing businesses, schools and polling locations to slow the spread of COVID-19.

That anti-DeWine sentiment exists, but it's also divided among the candidates. Any effort to consolidate or reduce the number of candidates ultimately failed. Former President Donald Trump did not endorse a candidate in the governor race despite picking J.D. Vance to replace Sen. Rob Portman in Ohio's contentious U.S. Senate race.

COVID and politics: In battling COVID-19, DeWine infuriated some in the GOP. How will that affect reelection?

Ohio governor race: Jim Renacci flier touts past Trump endorsement in bid to unseat DeWine

Grassroots leader or shady spoiler?: Why Joe Blystone is running for Ohio governor

Former state representative: Ron Hood files to run for Ohio governor against incumbent Mike DeWine

On the Democratic side, former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley faces former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley for the nomination. The night before, Politico published a leaked draft of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion striking down the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade. The news pushed the abortion debate back into the forefront of voters' minds, a fact that likely benefits Whaley because of her consistent position supporting access to abortion.

Cranley and Whaley come to the race with similar resumes, having led Southwest Ohio cities during the past eight years. But each has different plans if elected governor.

Whaley benefits from a slew of endorsements, most notably U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. Cranley racked up support from newspaper editorial boards. The Ohio Democratic Party did not endorse in the primary despite picking U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan for the U.S. Senate race.

The race could come down to which candidate is better known by voters in Democrat-rich Cleveland and Columbus.

If Whaley clinches the Democratic primary, she would be the first woman to win a major political party's nomination in Ohio's history.

Democratic race for nomination: As Democrats fight to replace Mike DeWine, Cincinnati and Dayton are on the ballot

Ohio Politics Explained podcast: What's on your primary ballot?

Watch: Ohio's district maps and the May 3 primary

Ohio has never elected a woman as governor. Gov. Nancy Hollister served as the state's leader for 11 days after Gov. George Voinovich started work in the U.S. Senate and before Gov. Bob Taft took office.

Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. If you are in line when polls close, you will be able to vote.

Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio governor: Nan Whaley wins Democratic primary, to face DeWine