Ohio’s Political Landscape:
Election Fallout, Neo-Nazi Marches, and GOP Infighting
By: Vicki Burgett-Prunty
Ohio’s political scene is a microcosm of America’s tensions: post-election Republican dominance, emboldened far-right extremism, and institutional battles over race and power. While these threads might seem separate, they’re intertwined through the state’s struggle with white supremacy culture, both overt and systemic.
The 2024 Election: A Republican Sweep and Its Aftermath
Ohio solidified its red turn in November 2024, with Donald Trump winning the state for the third straight election and GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno unseating Democrat Sherrod Brown . The results mirrored national trends, but Ohio’s Democratic Party chair lamented the influence of "corporate special interests" and vowed to keep fighting for progressive values.
Connection to White Supremacy:
The election’s aftermath saw a neo-Nazi march in Columbus, where masked men carried swastika flags and chanted racial slurs. A display blamed by some local leaders on the "emboldenment" following Trump’s victory . Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin explicitly linked the march to Trump’s rhetoric, recalling his "very fine people on both sides" comment after Charlottesville . The march, organized by the group "Hate Club," was partly a turf war with another white supremacist faction, the Blood Tribe.
Neo-Nazi Turf Wars and Institutional Hypocrisy
The Columbus march wasn’t an isolated incident. It followed a pattern of white supremacist activity in Ohio, including a 2023 drag brunch protest and the rise of groups like the Daily Stormer, founded by Ohio native Andrew Anglin . Police didn’t arrest the marchers, citing First Amendment protections, a stark contrast to the violent crackdowns on Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Connection to White Supremacy:
Critics argue Ohio’s institutions tolerate far-right extremism while policing Black dissent. For example, the Ohio State Board of Education in 2021 refused to condemn "white supremacy culture" in a resolution, with member Diana Fessler calling such efforts "anti-American". This institutional reluctance to confront racism mirrors the GOP’s broader hesitation to alienate its far-right base.
GOP Infighting: Power Struggles and Racial Dog Whistles
Earlier in 2023, Ohio’s GOP supermajority was roiled by a bitter speakership battle between Jason Stephens and Derek Merrin. Merrin’s faction, backed by hardliners, censured Stephens for collaborating with Democrats and opposing anti-union bills . The fight wasn’t just about policy but who gets to define conservatism with Merrin’s camp pushing voter suppression measures (like stricter ballot thresholds) and anti-"woke" education policies.
Connection to White Supremacy:
The GOP’s internal strife reflects a national trend where far-right factions weaponize racial anxiety. For instance, Ohio’s Attorney General Dave Yost tried to block a "Voters’ Bill of Rights" amendment by claiming its title was "misleading". A move the Ohio Supreme Court unanimously rejected . Such tactics, critics argue, align with broader efforts to disenfranchise minority voters under the guise of "election integrity" .
The Big Picture:
Ohio’s political shifts, from election results to neo-Nazi marches to GOP infighting, reveal how white supremacy culture operates on multiple levels:
Electoral: Trump’s victories normalize far-right rhetoric, creating space for extremists .
Institutional: Police and education systems often downplay white terror while policing Black resistance .
Partisan: GOP factions use racialized issues (voter ID, "anti-woke" policies) to consolidate power.
The question for Ohio and America, is whether condemnation alone is enough. As one Columbus columnist put it: "Condemning Nazis is easy. Changing the culture that welcomes them is hard" .
References:
Ohio election results: Real-time updates on Issue 1 and more - wkyc.com (https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/politics/elections/ohio-election-results-updates-issue-1-vice-president-kamala-harris-vs-former-president-donald-trump-sherrod-brown-bernie-moreno-us-senate/95-e63a364f-b016-416f-bc20-c3588b22f0ea)
Ohio leaders condemn Columbus march with Nazi flags - nbcnews.com (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ohio-march-nazi-flags-racist-slogans-columbus-rcna180577)
GOP’s intraparty power battle roiling lawmaking in Ohio - apnews.com (https://apnews.com/article/politics-ohio-state-government-us-republican-party-3e34bde2192584ce4d1c2e9f0cce30ce)
A neo-Nazi turf war may have just flared in Columbus, Ohio - cnn.com (https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/21/us/columbus-ohio-neo-nazi-march/index.html)
Biden condemns 'sickening' neo-Nazi march in Ohio - bbc.com (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxvdz7nd1jo)
At a march in Columbus, Ohio, both Nazism and hypocrisy - msnbc.com (https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/columbus-ohio-nazi-parade-march-racism-rcna180713)
Ohio Supreme Court finds attorney general erred in rejecting voting amendment - apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-amendment-ohio-court-56b7efe0df824780f89e445f1b72a037)
Ohio State Board of Education Fails to Condemn “White Supremacy Culture” - projectcensored.org(https://www.projectcensored.org/ohio-state-board-of-education-fails-to-condemn-white-supremacy-culture/)
In Need of A Healing Hug
The following discussion is for those who possess courage. The kind of courage I am pointing toward is revealed by reading my words. Due to the challenge before us, reading these words requires courage; yet, the courage used to read these words is not the courage I am pointing toward.
www.joinEAGER.com
Continue reading here:
https://60kandbelow.substack.com/p/in-need-of-a-healing-hug?r=4zs2hy
