COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Republican Gov. John Kasich’s (KAY’-siks) request to hold his State of the State address in the northeast Ohio city of Medina (meh-DY’-nuh) has cleared the Legislature.
The speech is scheduled Feb. 24.
The move allows Kasich to honor a retiring legislative leader and deliver his election-year policy goals not far from the home turf of likely Democratic gubernatorial rival Ed FitzGerald.
Kasich first moved the speech outside Columbus in 2012 after pro-labor protests at the previous year’s address. The past two speeches were in Steubenville (STOO’-behn-vihl) and Lima (LY’-muh).
Some Democratic lawmakers balked.
Rep. Ron Gerberry (GEHR’-bayr-ee) says Kasich is discarding a worthy tradition of holding the signature policy address at the Statehouse.
Sen. Lou Gentile (JEN’-ty-uhl) supported the 2012 relocation to Steubenville, in his district, but voted against Medina.
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