{"id":2614904,"date":"2026-06-17T00:02:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T04:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ohio-gop-gov-mike-dewine-urges-legislature-to-end-death-penalty-no-moral-justification-for-it\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T00:06:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T04:06:40","slug":"ohio-gop-gov-mike-dewine-urges-legislature-to-end-death-penalty-no-moral-justification-for-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ohio-gop-gov-mike-dewine-urges-legislature-to-end-death-penalty-no-moral-justification-for-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Ohio GOP Gov. Mike DeWine Urges Legislature to End Death Penalty \u2013 No &#8216;Moral Justification&#8217; for It"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fohio-gop-gov-mike-dewine-urges-legislature-to-end-death-penalty-no-moral-justification-for-it%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2614904&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is advocating for the abolition of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawyers-for-woman-on-death-row-request-president-trump-grant-clemency-a-week-before-execution\/\" title=\"Lawyers for woman on ... row request President Trump grant clemency a week before execution\">death penalty<\/a> in the state during his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sheldon-adelson-casino-mogul-and-gop-power-broker-dies-at-87\/\" title=\"Sheldon Adelson, Casino Mogul and GOP Power Broker, Dies at 87\">final year<\/a> in office.He expressed his belief that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/knowles-the-bad-faith-debate-over-cancel-culture\/\" title=\"KNOWLES: The Bad Faith Debate Over \u2018Cancel Culture\u2019\">capital punishment<\/a> no longer serves as an effective deterrent due to lengthy delays-sometimes exceeding two decades-between sentencing and execution. DeWine noted that few of the nearly 400 individuals sentenced to death in Ohio have been executed, with only 56 actual executions, causing frustration for victims&#8217; families. He also stated that he no longer considers the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >death penalty morally justifiable<\/a>. Historically, DeWine co-sponsored legislation to reinstate the death penalty after serving as a prosecutor but has not personally pursued death penalty cases. His stance has evolved over time, influenced by concerns about delays and morality. DeWine has faced criticism from conservatives, who see him as moderate or &#8220;squishy,&#8221; and he plans to leave office in january 2024.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is calling on state lawmakers to abolish the death penalty during his final year leading the state.<\/p>\n<p>The governor made the remarks Tuesday during a news conference in Columbus, <a href=\"https:\/\/abc6onyourside.com\/news\/local\/ohio-gov-mike-dewine-calls-news-conference\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to<\/a> WSYX-TV.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe Ohio should abolish the death penalty,\u201d DeWine said. \u201cThe legislature can take this action, and I believe they should take this action.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DeWine argued that capital punishment no longer acts as a deterrent because executions take too long to carry out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith a more than two-decade-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/university-of-michigan-demands-1200-for-china-documents\/\" title=\"University of Michigan Demands ,200 for China Documents\">long wait<\/a> time, the threat of a death penalty date is simply not a deterrent,\u201d DeWine said.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Governor Mike DeWine: 'Ohio should abolish the death penalty'\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/M5SDuGkNpoU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>He added, \u201cI no longer believe that the death penalty is a deterrent for murder.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to DeWine, almost 400 people have been sentenced to death in Ohio, but only 56 have been executed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe long, long wait to see if the death penalty is carried out is frustrating and hurtful for these victims\u2019 families.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DeWine also said he no longer views capital punishment as moral.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe moral justification I had for voting for the death penalty simply no longer exists,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83d\udd17: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UHsiFgMDpD\">https:\/\/t.co\/UHsiFgMDpD<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Gov. DeWine said he now opposes the death penalty and is urging Ohio lawmakers to repeal it, saying long delays and low likelihood of execution have convinced him it no longer works as a deterrent.<\/p>\n<p>Video: Anna Staver, <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/a4YA4W2Cro\">https:\/\/t.co\/a4YA4W2Cro<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XyT1Y15eMO\">pic.twitter.com\/XyT1Y15eMO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/clevelanddotcom\/status\/2066936436553572456?\">June 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>According to WSYX, he co-sponsored legislation in 1981 that reinstated the death penalty after serving as a prosecutor.<\/p>\n<p>DeWine said he never pursued a death penalty case while working as a prosecutor.<\/p>\n<p>DeWine has long faced criticism from state conservatives, who view him as a RINO, or a \u201cRepublican in name only.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During his unsuccessful 2022 Senate campaign, former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel called DeWine a \u201csquishy Republican governor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis authoritarian state \u2013 deep state, if you will \u2013 is not just led by radical liberal governors like Newsom in California and Cuomo in New York, but even by squishy Republican governors like my governor DeWine in the state of Ohio,\u201d Mandel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cincinnati.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2021\/02\/26\/josh-mandel-gop-gov-dewine-squishy-rino-dewine-says-theyre-friends\/6831986002\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a> in 2021.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Mike_DeWine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DeWine<\/a>, who has represented Ohio in the House and Senate and served as his state\u2019s attorney general, will leave office Jan. 11.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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DeWine urges lawmakers to end the death penalty in his final year<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2614905,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Ohio-Gov-Mike-DeWine.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33571,4199,48696,81287,4333],"class_list":["post-2614904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-death-penalty","tag-legislature","tag-mike-dewine","tag-moral-justification","tag-ohio"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Ohio-Gov-Mike-DeWine.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2614904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2614904"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2614904\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2614908,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2614904\/revisions\/2614908"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2614905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2614904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2614904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2614904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}