GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci on Tuesday slammed Governor Mike DeWine for his lack of action against COVID-19 mandates imposed by the federal government.

In the statement, Renacci argued that DeWine, a Republican, has governed the state in a manner that is close to prominent Democratic leaders.

“It has been 33 days since Joe Biden announced his vaccine mandate for workers and Mike DeWine has still done nothing to shield Ohioans. DeWine continually proves he is a feckless leader who refuses to protect Ohioans’ from overbearing mandates that strip away our freedoms. We have seen throughout the pandemic other leaders like Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott govern better than DeWine, who instead chooses to lead like Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom,” Renacci said.

The Biden administration’s mandate will require all employers with over 100 workers to have them vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19, which affects about approximately 80 million Americans.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed an executive order to prevent “any entity” from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the state.

According to Renacci, DeWine should take similar actions.

“Every single day we see our freedoms eroded by DeWine’s policies and, if we do not have new leadership in Columbus soon, he will continue to be an emboldened tyrant willing to sacrifice our futures by living under his warped rule of law. As governor, I will protect all Ohioans from these mandates and ensure the government will never intrude on their ability to choose what is best for themselves and their families,” Renacci pledged.

Repeatedly, Renacci has criticized DeWine for his leadership during the coronavirus pandemic, specifically over mandates.

Earlier this year, DeWine announced that his administration will make a “direct appeal” to local school districts, encouraging them to implement mask mandates.

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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Jim Renacci” by The City Club of Cleveland.