Republican And Independent Ohioans “Won’t Vote For Moreno” After “Disrespectful” Comments Mocking Ohio Women

COLUMBUS, OH – Republican and Independent Ohioans “say they won’t vote” for Bernie Moreno after his “disrespectful” comments calling Ohio women “a little crazy” for wanting to make their own health care decisions. The comments were first reported by WCMH.

Moreno’s comments have been widely condemned, including by Republican Nikki Haley, former U.S. Congresswoman Republican Deborah Pryce, former Ohio Attorney General Republican Betty Montgomery, and a former aide to John Boehner, who have said Moreno’s “flip remark[s]” make it clear he “doesn’t think [Ohio women] have a right” to make their own health care decisions.

Statehouse News Bureau: Republicans, independents say they won’t vote for Moreno after comments on women and abortion
Jo Ingles – September 26, 2024

• A group of Ohio Republicans and independents said they won’t vote for GOP U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno following comments he made to supporters about women and abortion over the weekend.
• Moreno was speaking to supporters in Mason on Friday when he started talking about why abortion is a big issue for some women voters. His comments were recorded and the video was shared with reporters.
• “You know, the left has a lot of ‘single issue’ voters. Sadly, by the way, there’s a lot of suburban woman, a lot of suburban women that are like, ‘listen, abortion is it. If I can’t have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for anybody else,’” Moreno said. “Ok. A little crazy by the way. But, especially for women that are like past 50, I’m thinking to myself, ‘I don’t think that’s an issue for you.”
• But the comments weren’t so funny to some voters, like Lea Maceyko of Cardington. She said as a woman over 50, she finds the comment to be disrespectful.
• “Not only does he want to disregard women’s right to our private personal medical decisions, but he’s also making fun of people for caring about our rights and the rights of others. And frankly, I just don’t think that’s very funny,” Maceyko said.
• Tammy Krings, an independent voter from Pataskala, said she’s upset that Moreno won’t accept the will of 57% of Ohioans who voted for abortion rights last fall.
• “Bernie Moreno wants to just toss that out the window,” Krings said. “He does not understand this assignment. And the assignment is to execute on what we decide. He has decided he wants to do it his way.”
• And it’s not just women who are reacting to that comment. Republican Ed Dunn, an Air Force retiree who lives in Beavercreek, said he is a lifelong Republican… he found Moreno’s statements about women and abortion to be out of line.
• “You don’t have to be a woman over 50 to feel strongly about women’s reproductive rights. That’s why I find Mr. Moreno’s statements very disrespectful – disrespectful to me personally, but really to all women in my life,” Dunn said.
• Dunn said he doesn’t trust Moreno because of this issue and some others. He said he does trust Brown, even though he doesn’t always agree with him.
• “We don’t see eye-to-eye on everything as you can expect but I trust [Sherrod] much more than Mr. Moreno to listen to, understand and act in the best interest of Ohioans,” Dunn said.
• [Moreno’s campaign] did not address a question about whether Moreno would vote for a national abortion ban if it were to come before him.

Ohio Capital Journal: Independents, Republicans chide Moreno over comments about older women and abortion
Nick Evans – September 27, 2024

• Republican and independent voters are criticizing Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno after he referred to women as “a little crazy” for making abortion policy the deciding factor for their vote. In a video obtained by WCMH, Moreno told a crowd in Warren County “(there’s) a lot of suburban women that are like, ‘Listen, abortion is it. If I can’t have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for anybody else.”
• “It’s a little crazy by the way,” he went on, “but — especially for women that are like past 50 — I’m thinking to myself, ‘I don’t think that’s an issue for you.’”
• “I’m 63,” Tammy Krings said, “When I turned 50, I didn’t stop caring about my daughter’s body and her choices and her rights.”
• Krings described herself as an independent voter, and she spoke alongside two Republicans Thursday on the sidewalk outside the Columbus Club where Moreno was hosting a fundraiser.
• “I didn’t stop caring about my future grandchildren and their rights,” Krings added. “Just because you’re not of childbearing age, and just because you’re not a woman doesn’t mean this isn’t important to you.”
• Following a surprise Alabama Supreme Court ruling that threatened access to IVF treatment, Moreno dismissed concerns as “a left-wing, media-created issue.” And Wednesday, The Columbus Dispatch reported that Moreno claimed the Founding Fathers would “murder you” for supporting abortion rights.
• But even within his party, Moreno’s comments sparked pushback. Former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley asked, “are you trying to lose the election?” on social media Tuesday.
• “Fifty-seven percent of Ohioans voted,” Krings argued, in reference to Issue 1 last November, “and Bernie Moreno wants to just toss that out the window.”
• She insisted politicians need to “understand the assignment.” It’s their job, she said, to uphold the will of the voters not second guess it.
• “He thinks he knows better,” she said. “We the people — his job is to execute on what the people vote for. It’s really kind of simple.”
• Krings is backing Brown because of his record of bringing people together, listening, and striving to represent all of the people in the state, she said. In addition to Krings, Ed Dunn and Lea Maceyko had harsh words for Moreno. They’re both supporting Brown as well.
• Dunn is from Beavercreek and described himself as a lifelong Republican. Like Krings he argued that even a policy doesn’t affect him personally, that doesn’t preclude him from caring about it.
• “We just want women, including my family, friends and others, now and in the future, to have the right to make their own health care decisions,” he said. “The government or politicians shouldn’t be involved in those extremely personal matters.”
• “That’s not crazy,” Dunn added, “that’s just common sense.”
• Lea Maceyko is a Republican, too and comes from “a little one-stoplight town called Cardington.” She described herself as an Ohio woman over 50. “I won’t tell you exactly how far over 50 I am,” she added, “but I’m over 50.” Maceyko was a bit shocked that Moreno would not just disregard the results of Issue 1, but that he’d make light of it.
• “(He’s) making fun of people for caring about our rights and the rights of others,” she said. “And frankly, I just don’t think that’s very funny.”
• “I have grandchildren, nieces, friends and other women in my life that I love and care about, and I don’t think it’s very crazy that I care about their rights.” Maceyko added. “Bernie said I was crazy, but really, I think he’s a little crazy to be mocking people that he wants to represent.”

TiffinOhio.net: Republican, Independent Ohioans slam Bernie Moreno for mocking women’s health care decisions
Dave Miller – September 26, 2024

• On Thursday, Republican and Independent Ohioans slammed Bernie Moreno outside a closed-door event, denouncing him for insulting women by calling them “a little crazy” for wanting to make their own health care decisions. The comments, caught on video and first reported by WCMH earlier this week, have sparked outrage across the political spectrum.
• [Moreno] has pledged to support a national abortion ban, which would override the will of Ohioans who overwhelmingly voted last year to protect abortion rights in the state constitution.
• “Call me crazy, but I believe that Bernie Moreno has no business involving himself in a woman’s health care decisions,” said Independent voter Tammy Krings. “Moreno thinks he knows better than the 57% of Ohioans – Republicans, Independents, Democrats, women, men, suburban, urban, and rural – who voted to pass Issue 1 to safeguard our reproductive rights, along with the rights of our daughters, granddaughters, sisters, and friends.”
• Ed Dunn, a lifelong Republican, was equally incensed. “When I heard Moreno’s comments, I heard a politician insulting me for caring about an issue that impacts every woman in my life,” Dunn said. “Moreno has made it clear he would overturn the will of voters like me by supporting a national abortion ban. Let’s be clear: he’s mocking Ohioans because he thinks he knows better than us.”
• Lea Macekyo, a Republican voter, also condemned Moreno’s remarks. “Bernie Moreno believes he should make a woman’s health care decisions and said he would vote for federal legislation to ban abortion, which would silence our voices,” Macekyo said. “But more than that, he insulted and mocked all Ohioans who believe a woman’s health care decisions should be between her and her doctor. The fact that he can’t understand why women care about this issue speaks volumes about who he is.”
• Moreno has been a vocal advocate of Ohio’s controversial “heartbeat bill,” which bans most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest. This legislation was a significant point of contention until it was overturned by a constitutional amendment approved by Ohio voters last year.
• Despite this clear voter mandate, Moreno has continued to champion restrictive abortion laws. On January 13, 2022, during an interview on Cincinnati’s 55WKRC radio, Moreno declared, “Absolute pro-life, no exceptions,” positioning himself as a firm proponent of restrictive abortion policies.
• In recent campaign appearances, Moreno has further emphasized his anti-abortion stance. Speaking to Dayton Republicans on March 10, 2024, Moreno criticized fellow GOP candidate Ohio Sen. Matt Dolan for his 2019 vote against the heartbeat bill. Moreno’s remarks highlighted his commitment to a strict anti-abortion agenda, distinguishing himself from other candidates.