Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026

Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Pennant. To listen to this newsletter, click the “Listen Online” link in the top right corner of this email.

Happy Earth Day! Today is the perfect day to enjoy the spring weather. Just be sure to take an allergy pill for those who struggle with seasonal allergies.

A recent poll shows the governor’s race is extremely close. Find out whose slightly leading in the Top of the Fold.

Part two of our Gone Dark series is available now. Scroll down to read more!

A new poll from Bowling Green State University found Republican biotech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton, former director of the Ohio Department of Health under Gov. Mike DeWine, are virtually tied in the race for Ohio governor.

Ramaswamy carries endorsements from President Trump and Vice President Vance, yet the race remains deadlocked with just under six months until Election Day.

To view the poll, click here.

As the Ohio governor's race heats up, property taxes are emerging as a defining issue for voters across the state.

Ohio lawmakers have already passed reforms expected to deliver billions in relief, but are now pushing new legislation to protect homeowners from foreclosures — even as school districts warn the changes are straining their budgets, and a grassroots movement pushes to abolish property taxes altogether and put the issue before voters in November.

Click here for more on property taxes.

A drag queen story time event at Coterie Lounge & Cafe in West Chester Township drew both fierce online opposition and a wave of community support.

The event proceeded as planned on April 16, with drag performer Roxie D. Mocracy reading children's books to a group of about 10 kids, all as Ohio lawmakers consider a bill that would restrict drag performances in public spaces.

Find a breakdown of House Bill 249 here.

Part Two of an ongoing Pennant series examining the deaths and disappearances of American scientists tied to classified research programs

Part One of this series introduced two NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists who died with no public cause of death and no statement from their employer. 

The FBI confirmed on Tuesday that it is leading an investigation to look for possible connections among at least 10 missing or deceased scientists and government workers tied to sensitive nuclear and space technology labs, working alongside the Departments of Energy and War, and state and local law enforcement. (CBS News)

Investigators close to the various individual cases say they currently see no links between them, though President Trump has called the situation "pretty serious stuff" and expressed hope the cases are coincidental. (CBS News) The Pennant has partnered with an investigative journalist based in Washington, D.C., who is contributing to this series.

This installment covers cases three, four, and five on the list. They involve a woman who vanished in front of a witness, a world-renowned physicist shot dead at his front door, and a retired Air Force general who walked out of his home and was never seen again.

Continue reading the full story here.

For decades, political commentators pointed to Ohio as the ultimate bellwether state — a place that almost always picked the winner in presidential elections. Then the Buckeye State shifted red, and Republicans began running the table in a big way. Ohio faded from the list of true battleground states.

But if the latest polling and political signs are any indication, the state may be ready to remind the nation it is not a lock for Republicans — at least that's what most Democrats want to believe.

A new poll from Bowling Green State University, featured in The Pennant today, shows the Ohio governor's race is essentially tied — Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton are just one point apart.

Meanwhile, Time magazine is reporting that Senate Republicans have allocated a staggering $79 million into the state to protect incumbent Sen. Jon Husted against former three-term Senator Sherrod Brown. 

Cook Political Report has since moved the race to "Toss Up," according to Time.

This fits a pattern that anyone who has watched Ohio politics understands. The state's cities — Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Dayton — lean continually Democratic. The rural stretches are deep red. That urban-rural divide, reflected across Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, has defined the modern American political landscape.

What makes 2026 different from most years is the national mood. Polling consistently shows presidential approval softening, and historically, midterm elections punish the party in power. Republicans are in power, and they should be worried.

Republicans Hold the Money Edge, But Democrats Are Fighting Back Where It Counts

Republicans enter the 2026 midterms flush with cash — outpacing Democrats by tens of millions at the party committee level. In addition, Trump-aligned super PACs add even more firepower for the GOP.

Democrats are countering with candidate-level fundraising that suggests genuine grassroots energy. The money battle sets up what could be the most expensive midterm cycle in history, with the GOP controlling the war chest and Democrats betting that motivated (anti-Trump) voters will overcome a financial deficit.

In the end, the Trump factor looms large for both sides.

Ramaswamy's numbers in the BGSU poll are built heavily on Trump's backing, and Husted holds his position largely because of the same gravitational pull of the Trump orbit. In Ohio, it seems, the Trump endorsement still results in votes — for now.

The question heading into November is whether it moves enough of them, or whether Ohio goes back to being a bellwether.

Comments welcome [email protected]

Do you think communities should have the right to eliminate data centers in their districts?
- Yes - 33%
- No - 17%
- Unsure - 50%

The Pennant welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns from readers. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity, and AP style. The Pennant reserves the right to verify all information contained in submissions before publication.

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