Buckeye Reporter

Gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci slammed Ohio health officials and Gov. Mike Dewine for their new push to make all Ohio children wear masks in schools, calling the practice “child abuse.” 

“Let's be honest—masking our kids in schools for 8 hours a day is child abuse,” said Renacci. “Kids need to breathe properly, interact with others and to be heard. The long-term educational and psychological ramifications of these reckless policies are abhorrent.”

“I immediately call on Mike DeWine to condemn the child abuse being pushed by state health leaders,” Renacci said. “My running mate, Joe Knopp, along with countless other parents, have already seen first hand what these policies do to our kids. I stand with Ohio's parents and say no more!” 

Renacci's comments were in response to a Ohio Hospital Association statement Wednesday encouraging more Ohio school boards to establish in-school mask mandates, a call echoed by Dewine.

“With Omicron spreading quickly through Ohio, we need everyone’s help to make it through the coming weeks. Please help us by requiring students to wear masks when they return to school,” the Ohio Hospital Association said in a press release.  

DeWine has been one of the leading Republican mask advocates in the country, arguing vociferously that masks should be required in more state venues.

Conservative commentator Julie Kelly has called DeWine a leading “lockdown governor.” Other conservatives have called for his impeachment.

“Mike DeWine, 233 days ago: 4-6 weeks of masks and we can take down COVID-19! Mike DeWine, today: Masks forever! Impeach. Throw him out, ” journalist Jordan Schachtel said on Twitter back in March, after DeWine criticized Republican governors who dropped mask mandates.

“In Ohio, we can't give up the defense. We have found these masks work exceedingly well,” he told ABC’s Martha Raddatz.

DeWine wore a mask in his Twitter profile photo throughout 2020 and early 2021.He switched to a mask-less one in June after Renacci declared he would challenge DeWine in the 2022 gubernatorial GOP primary.

Renacci, 63, is an accountant and entrepreneur who once owned the Columbus Destroyers Arena Football Team. He won election to U.S. Congress in 2010 as part of the Tea Party movement, and later endorsed Donald Trump over then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the 2016 primary for President.

Dewine, 74, was Kasich's choice to replace him as Ohio Governor in 2019. He is one of the longest-serving public officials in state history, having been in elected office for 41 years. That includes stints in the Ohio State Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate and as Ohio Attorney General and Ohio Lieutenant Governor.