After a majority of Ohio voters on Tuesday passed Issues 1 and 2 enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution and legalizing recreational marijuana usage, respectively, Republicans in the state are vowing to pushback on the measures in upcoming elections. "This isn't the end," Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman said in a statement, per Ohio Statehouse Bureau Chief Karen Kasler. "It is really just the beginning of a revolving door of ballot campaigns to repeal or replace Issue 1." Huffman had previously predicted that another abortion-related ballot issue would likely follow if Issue 1 passed, Kasler noted.
"I remain steadfastly committed to protecting life, and that commitment is unwavering," Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephen reportedly said in a statement. "The legislature has multiple paths that we will explore to continue to protect innocent life. This is not the end of the conversation.” Unofficial results show that just under 57 percent of voters supported both Issue 1 and Issue 2, a state law allowing adults 21 and older to buy, possess and grow marijuana. Both take effect in 30 days, but because Issue 2 is an initiated statute, Ohio lawmakers can change it easily, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
"I can't believe in 2023 we're actually talking about elected officials not respecting the will of the voters and not respecting the outcome of an election," Tom Haren, a spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, told the Dispatch. "I expect, I think that every single voter in Ohio has a right to expect, that elected officials will implement and respect the will of voters."
