Buckeye Reporter

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted recently claimed the state’s economic recovery is going well compared to that of other states; however, not everyone seems to be on the same page.

In a recent statement, gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci called on COVID-19-related job losses he alleges came as a result of state lockdowns.

“I see why Mike DeWine and Jon Husted are afraid to go out and actually campaign. It's hard for them to defend their record of failure without saying something false,” Renacci said in the release.

Among his comments, Renacci claimed the state was still 199,200 jobs in the hole following COVID-related shutdowns. 

“As governor, one of my top priorities will be to boost confidence in Ohio's economy and get jobs and businesses back to our state,” Renacci said.

A recent report from RNC Research listed the top 20 states in terms of job recovery. Ohio didn't make the list. 

"FACT: 16 of the top 20 states for jobs recovered from the pandemic are led by Republican governors," RNC wrote in a Feb. 4 tweet.

According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, before the beginning of the pandemic, in Feb. 2020, Ohio had 5.6 million jobs and an unemployment rate of 4.1%. As of Dec. 2021, Ohio had 5.4 million jobs and an unemployment rate of 4.5%. 

The Columbus Dispatch reported in March of 2021 that Ohio lost 892,300 jobs in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the unemployment rate hitting a state record of 16.4% in April of 2020.

In December, the Cleveland Plain Dealer ranked Ohio 33rd in the nation for job creation. 

Renacci is a businessman and former U.S. representative for the 16th congressional district running against DeWine, a fellow Republican, in the 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary on May 3.

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.