>>> COULD DATA CENTERS DECIDE THE 2026 ELECTION?

AND SHANNON HARDEN BREAKS FROM THE COLUMBUS WAY.

> >> WELCOME TO "COLUMBUS ON THE RECORD. "

I'M MIKE THOMPSON.

TEN YEARS, DATA CENTERS WERE NO BIG DEAL.

IT WAS COOL.

THEN SENATOR SHARON BROWN WELCOMED THEM.

NOW, NOT SO MUCH.

BROWN HAS COME OUT HARD AGAINST DATA CENTERS AND LABELLED HIS OPPONENT THE FACE OF DATA CENTERS.

-- WARNS DATA CENTERS COULD DECIDE THE RACE.

A MEMO FIRST OBTAINED BY AXIOS READS, OHIO IS ONE OF THE LEADERS IN BUILDING THESE A. I. FACTORIES.

THE BROWN HAS MADE THE --CENTER PIECE OF HIS CAMPAIGN AGAINST HOUSTON.

BROWN IS USING IT BECAUSE IT WORKS.

MORE THAN ANY OTHER THING IN THIS RACE, DATA CENTERS ARE THE ANCHOR HANGING AROUND JOHN HOUSTON'S NECK.

IF HE LOSES AND DATA CENTERS GET THE BLAME, POLITICIANS WILL TAKE NOTICE AND WILL NOT GO NEAR THE NEXT ONE.

WILL THE DATA CENTER ISSUE DECIDE THIS RACE AND OTHERS?

WE TURN TO OUR PANEL, REPORTER SARAH DONALDSON, MARIA BRUNO, AND TERRY CASEY.

SARAH DONALDSON, POLLS CONSISTENTLY SHOW THAT AFFORDABILITY IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE, BUT PEOPLE MORE AND MORE -- CAMPAIGNS, REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGNS IT SEEMS -- ARE MORE AND MORE WORRIED ABOUT DATA CENTERS.

>> SO, COUPLE THINGS THERE.

I THINK THE TIE IS STARTING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN DATA CENTERS AND AFFORDABILITY.

CANDIDATES ARE SAYING, THESE DATA CENTERS AND ESPECIALLY SHERROD BROWN IS SAYING THESE DATA CENTERS ARE RAISING YOUR ELECTRICITY BILLS.

MAJOR DATA CENTERS HAVE, TO SOME POINT, ADMITTED THEY ARE A HUGE PART OF THE LOAD ADDED TO THESE UTILITIES.

I CERTAINLY THINK ANY STATE LIKE OHIO WHERE DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE SHIFTED AND IT'S SEEN AS MORE OF A RED STATE, DEMOCRATS HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO PEEL OFF REPUBLICAN VOTERS.

AND THERE ARE REPUBLICAN VOTERS WHO ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THESE DATA CENTERS, JUST LIKE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS WHO ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS THESE CENTERS.

>> --HE SAID, THIS NEW DATA CENTER IS GREAT NEWS FOR NEW ALBANY AND CENTRAL OHIO.

AMAZON'S GROWTH IN CENTRAL OHIO SIGNIFIES THIS REGION IS NOPT ONLY A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS BUT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR REGION'S BURGEONS LOGISTICS HUB CONTINUES TO GROW.

HOW CAN HE ATTACK JOHN HOUSTON FOR BEING THE FACE OF DATA CENTERS WHEN HE WAS THE FACE OF THE INFANT DATA CENTERS?

>> I THINK BOTH PARTIES HAVE BEEN SLOW TO REALIZE THE POTENTIAL HARM OF DATA CENTERS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEARLY AN ISSUE THAT'S HAVING POLITICAL RESONANCE.

SO, IT DOESN'T SHOCK ME THAT HE'S COME OUT HARDER.

I THINK IT REALLY SPEAKS TO WHY THESE LONG- TERM TAX BREAKS MADE WITHOUT FULLY UNDERSTANDING THE WEIGHT THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO CARRY IS SHORT SIDED.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK BOTH PARTIES HAVE, SORT OF, TALKED OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF THEIR MOUTH WHEN IT COMES TO DATA CENTERS.

I THINK PROBABLY THE REPUBLICANS HAVE MORE THAN DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THE REPUBLICAN S HAVE BEEN THE ONES SIGNING THOSE DEALS AND MAKING THOSE ARRANGEMENTS.

I'M HAPPY THERE'S PROGRESSION ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD TOIM FOR BOTH SIDES TO REALIZE OHIOANS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS BUILD IT FIRST, FIGURE OUT WHAT GOES WRONG LATER.

>> THOSE WERE THE 40- YEAR TAX BREAKS JOHN KASICH SIGNED WITH.

WHY ARE REPUBLICANS GETTING THE BLAME WHEN THIS WAS A BIPARTISAN WELCOMING COMMITTEE 10, 15 YEARS AGO?

>> PART OF THE PURPOSES OF THIS MEMO WAS TO SAY TO THE INDUSTRY, GET OFF YOUR YOU KNOW WHAT AND SELL THE BENEFITS BECAUSE WHETHER IT'S LABOR UNIONS BUILDING THESE.

THERE'S OTHER TAX BENEFITS.

NEW ALBANY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB ON IT.

THERE'S OTHER BENEFITS.

THERE'S A LOT OF PLUSES TO THESE DATA CENTERS.

BUT THE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN SLOW TO EITHER SELL THE BENEFITS OR TO STOP DOING SOME --THINGS OF WANTING TOO MUCH.

TODAY'S "WALL STREET JOURNAL" HAD A BIG HEADLINE ON HOW, LIKE, IN TEXAS AND PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNORS HAVE SWITCHED AND SAID, YOU'VE GOT TO PAY YOUR OWN FARE.

AND ACTUALLY GOVERNOR DeWINE, JOHN HOUSTON, AND OTHERS, HAVE SAID, THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE GUARDRAILS.

WE'VE LEARNED A LOT.

PLACES LIKE NEW ALBANY HAVE DONE IT WELL.

>> THIS MEMO, WHICH WAS LEAKED --LET'S FACE IT.

THE INTENDED AUDIENCE WAS NOT REPUBLICAN OPERATIVES.

>> YES.

THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB OF SELLING THE BENEFITS THEY BRING.

THEY DO BRING BENEFITS.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY TIMES WHERE THEY'VE MADE MISTAKES LIKE HILLIARD AND DUBLIN WHEN THEY TRY TO SHOE HORN A DATA CENTER INTO AN AREA TOO CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL.

SO, THERE'S MISTAKES MADE.

THEY NEED TO FIX IT.

>> CAN JOHN HOUSTON GO ON THE DEFENSIVE AGAINST DATA CENTERS?

>> I THINK IT'S TOUGH.

I'VE ASKED JOHN HOUSTON ABOUT DATA CENTERS FOR YEARS NOW.

AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, MOST POLITICIANS HAVE POSED IN FRONT OF GOOGLE OR AMAZON OR WHATEVER DATA CENTER EXPANSION, BUT HOUSTON HAS BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER OF A. I. EXPANSION AND DATA CENTERS.

I THINK TO COMPLETELY GO ON THE OFFENSIVE WOULD BE A SHIFT.

NOTABLY HE HAS ADJUSTED HIS TONE.

I ASKED HIM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IF HE WAS SURPRISED TO BE MADE OUT AS THE FACE OF DATA CENTERS AND SURPRISED AT THIS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN PUBLIC OPINION OVER THE LAST NINE MONTHS.

AND HE SAID EXACTLY WHAT TERRY JUST TOLD YOU, THAT THESE DATA CENTER COMPANIES ARE DOING A, QUOTE, TERRIBLE JOB OF SELLING THE VIRTUE OF DATA CENTERS.

>> THIS WEEK OPEN A. I. ANNOUNCED IT WAS COMMITTED TO BUILDING A DATA CENTER IN PIKETON.

35,000 CONSTRUCTION JOBS, 2,500 PERMANENT JOBS.

I DIDN'T SEE --ALL THESE JOBS COMING TO OHIO FROM ANY LEADER.

>> YEAH.

I JUST THINK THAT IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THEM RIGHT NOW.

I THINK OHIOANS ARE FEELING REALLY RIPPED OFF AND THEY'RE FEELING SPECIFICALLY RIPPED OFF BY CORPORATIONS AND BILLIONAIRES.

I THINK WHEN THE BIGGEST BENEFICIARIES AT LEAST FROM THE PUBLIC'S PERSPECTIVE ARE THESE SAME CORPORATIONS AND BILLIONAIRES, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF HESITANCE TO TAKE THEM AT THEIR WORD.

>> IS THIS AN EXAMPLE, TERRY, OF HOW --THEY ANNOUNCED THIS BUT IT WAS, SORT OF, HIDDEN IN A FINANCIAL THING.

THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PRESS RELEASE FROM OPENAI.

THERE WAS NO BIG NEWS CONFERENCE, NO BIG CELEBRATION.

WHEN INTEL WAS ANNOUNCED, THERE WAS A HUGE DEAL.

EVERYBODY ON THE PLANET WAS THERE.

35,000 JOBS.

>> THE PIPING THING IS HUGE BECAUSE THERE ISN'T MUCH ELSE IN A LOT OF PARTS OF THAT STATE.

THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, THE NUMBER OF JOBS, IS HUGE.

ALSO BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES INVOLVED IN IT, IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN ONE COMPANY ANNOUNCING IT.

IT WILL COME.

IT WILL BE BIG DOWN THERE.

BUT THE INDUSTRY HAS GOT TO COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE, LIKE IF YOU'RE FACING CANCER, WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THE DATA CENTERS, WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THE TECHNOLOGIES TO COME.

IT'S GOING TO SAVE A LOT OF LIVES.

>> AND IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A THE POWER IT TAKES TO POWER THE STATE OF OHIO.

>> IT DID GET CELEBRATED BECAUSE IT HAS A MASSIVE NATURAL GAS PLAN THAT'S GOING IN NEXT TO THE DATA CENTER.

THE EXTRA ENERGY WILL GO TO RESIDENTIAL CONSUMERS, WHICH IS MORE AND MORE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING AS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION.

CERTAINLY I SAW SOME POLLING EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT THE ONLY THING LESS POPULAR RIGHT NOW THAN A DATA CENTER IS A DATA CENTER AND A NATURAL GAS PLANT TOGETHER.

>> WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE PICTURES FROM THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THAT CENTER DOWN THERE, NOT ONE OHIO ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE PICTURE.

SOME FEDERAL FOLKS.

MIKE DeWINE NEVER MISSES A GROUNDBREAKING.

HE MISSED THAT ONE.

>> EVEN A BUCKY'S.

>> HE MIGHT REGRET THAT ONE.

DEBATING YOUR OPPONENT WAS ONCE A REQUIREMENT FOR GETTING ELECTED.

NOW NOT SO MUCH.

CONVINCING CANDIDATES TO FACE EACH OTHER UNSCRIPTED IS A TOUGH SELL.

SHERROD BROWN AND BERNIE MARINO DID NOT DEBATE.

GOVERNOR DeWINE DID NOT DEBATE.

THERE IS TALK THE CANDIDATES FOR SENATE AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MIGHT DEBATE BUT THAT'S ALL IT IS RIGHT NOW, JUST TALK.

IS THERE ANY POLITICAL BENEFIT ANYMORE TO DEBATING?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ANYONE THAT'S PROUD OF THE IDEAS THAT THEY BELIEVE IN SHOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN TO THE VOTERS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR THEIR VOTE.

SO, IF THEY'RE AGENDA IS HOLLOW, NO, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO LEAD THEM PUTTING THEIR FOOT IN THEIR MOUTH.

VOTERS ARE CRAVING AUTHENTICITY, AND THEY WANT TO SEE YOUR PLAN.

IF YOU ARE READY TO SHOW YOUR PLAN AND BE AUTHENTIC, I THINK THERE'S A HUGE BENEFIT TO GIVING YOURSELF A STAGE TO DO THAT.

>> DARLINE GRAHAM THIS WEEK MADE A MISTAKE, WAS ASKED ABOUT CHINA AND TAIWAN, SAYS, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY.

IT IMMEDIATELY HURT HER.

WE'LL SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT IN THE ELECTION.

>> THERE'S SOME GUY NAME JOE BIDEN WHO HAD A DEBATE AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT VERY WELL.

THE REALITY HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN A LOT OF DEBATE PREP FOR MIKE DeWINE, SHERROD BROWN, ET CETERA, IT TAKES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET READY FOR THESE DEBATES.

WHEN IT'S HARDER AND HARDER TO GET TOGETHER TV NETWORKS THAT GET MUCH VIEWERSHIP, THE TRADE-OFFS DON'T MATCH UP.

PLUS FOR A LOT IN THE AUDIENCE, HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN IN 60 SECONDS YOUR REACTIONS AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE ABOUT THE SCHOOL FOUNDATION FORMULA.

SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE PRETTY COMPLEX.

AND ALSO CANDIDATES ON BOTH SIDES ARE VERY GOOD AT MEMORIZING LITTLE TALKING POINTS AND BARBS.

AND DO YOU REALLY LEARN THAT MUCH OR ARE THEY JUST RECITING WHAT THEY PRACTICED?

>> THAT'S WHERE RULE MAKING COMES INTO PLAY.

ARE MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN SPONSORING THESE ANYMORE?

>> I THINK SO.

AND I'M ALSO STILL THINKING ABOUT TERRY CASEY DOING A SHERROD BROWN IMPRESSION IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD.

CERTAINLY I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WORKED FOR NBC 4, THEY WERE CERTAINLY -- AND NEXSTAR AS A COMPANY --WERED INTO IN THESE DEBATES.

AS CANDIDATES AND AMERICANS BECOME MORE AND MORE SILOED, CANDIDATES ARE, I WOULD SAY, EVEN MORE COMBATIVE ABOUT THE FORMAT FOR THE DEBATE I. SAW THIS WEEK THAT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS REACHED OUT TO A LOCAL STATE HOUSE CANDIDATE, AND MORE AND MORE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES SAID THEY WON'T ENGAGE WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

THEY SEE THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AS BIASED AND LIBERAL LEANING.

OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT A MEDIA ORGANIZATION.

LESS AND LESS CANDIDATES ARE PARTICIPATING IN THESE TYPES OF FORUMS.

CERTAINLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GOING ON LIVE TELEVISION, IT'S NOT JUST A LOCAL AUDIENCE ANYMORE.

IF YOU MAKE A SLIPUP, IT MIGHT GO NATIONAL.

>> ALSO BEFORE YOU'VE GOT A DEBATE YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE DEBATES ABOUT WHAT THE RULES ARE GOING TO BE.

IF YOU'RE A CAMPAIGN MANAGER, YOU DON'T AUTOMATICALLY AGREE TO WHATEVER THEY TELL YOU THE RULES ARE.

THERE CAN BE PITFALLS, DANGERS, IF YOU DON'T STAND UP AND PROTECT YOUR CANDIDATE ACCORDINGLY.

>> I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE BENEFIT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF BEING ABLE TO SEE THESE CANDIDATES BOTH HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE AND EXPLAIN IN THEIR OWN WORDS WITHOUT THEIR MANAGER WHISPERING IN THEIR EARS IS A HUGE BENEFIT TO THE VOTERS.

I GET THAT IT'S HARD BUT IT'S A HUGE BENEFIT AND I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD JUST SKIP IT BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT.

>> AND ONE THING I MIGHT ADD, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY PREDICTIONS HERE.

BUT JUST BASED ON HOW RESPONSIVE --SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS GUBERNATORIAL RACE.

I DIDN'T COVER THE LAST ONE, BUT I COVERED THE 2024 ELECTION CYCLE.

THESE TWO CANDIDATES --THEY TAKE TYPICALLY THREE OR FOUR QUESTIONS FROM MEDIA AT EVERY AVAILABILITY.

THAT SOMETIMES SENDS A SIGN OF HOW LIKELY THEY MIGHT BE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

>> ESPECIALLY IN A GOVERNOR'S DEBATE, THERE'S TWO VERY DIFFERENT.

VIVEK RAMASWAMY -- YOU CAN SEE HOW NEITHER CANDIDATE WOULD REALLY WANT TO BE ON THE SAME STAGE WITH EACH OTHER BECAUSE IT MIGHT SHOW -- >> THE CONTRAST.

>> IT WOULD SHOW THE CONTRAST, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT, BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW IT MIGHT PLAY.

>> I THINK THE REALITY IS DEBATES ARE HARD BUT ALSO WE'VE GOT TWO CANDIDATES THAT HAVE NEVER HELD PUBLIC OFFICE.

I THINK THAT THEY'RE THE GREATER OBLIGATION TO BE EXPRESSING WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING ONCE THEY'RE IN OFFICE.

>> JUST A MONTH AGO THE PLANE DEALER OUT OF CLEVELAND TRIED TO GET BOTH CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR TO ANSWER 12 QUESTIONS THAT WERE PRETTY IMPORTANT.

BOTH SIDES SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO RESPOND.

BOTH SIDES WANT TO AVOID GETTING TOO SPECIFIC.

>> THEY DON'T HAVE TO.

--THREE- POINT RACE AND, YOU KNOW.

>> BUT WHEN IT'S SO CLOSE AS WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW, THERE'S REASONS WHO WANTS TO ROLL THE DICE AND RISK A BAD NIGHT OR A BAD QUESTION BECAUSE SOME OCCASIONALLY IN THE MEDIA DO GOT- YOU QUESTIONS.

NOT YOU, MIKE.

YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT.

BUT SOME OTHERS HAVE, AND PEOPLE SAY, WHAT KIND OF DEBATE IS THAT.

>> ONE PERSONS GOT-YOU QUESTION - - THE COLUMBUS WAY, IF IT'S NOT INSCRIBED AT CITY HALL, IT SHOULD BE.

CASE STUDY OF POLITICAL BUSINESS COOPERATION.

AS COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED TAX ABATEMENT AFTER TAX ABATEMENT WITH UNANIMOUS VOTES, THE CITY DID PROSPER.

CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT SHANNON HARDEN ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK HE IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR, CHALLENGING ANDREW GINTHER.

HARDEN SAYS HE HAS COME TO REGRET HIS ROLE IN THE SYSTEM.

>> I DID NOT BREAK THAT UNWRITTEN RULE OF COLUMBUS, WHICH IS TO WORK OUT DISAGREEMENTS QUIETLY AND BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

WHEN I RECOGNIZE A FAILURE OR A FLAW, I WORK BEHIND THE SCENES THE FIX IT.

THIS I WAS TOLD WAS THE RESPONSIBLE WAY, THE COLUMBUS WAY.

I LEARNED FIRSTHAND THAT YOU CAN GET BIG THINGS DONE AS LONG AS YOU DID NOT CHALLENGE THE SYSTEM.

>> CASEY, HE'S CHALLENGING THE SYSTEM NOW.

CAN A PERSON WHO'S BEEN AT CITY COUNCIL FOR 12 YEARS, BEEN CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR NEARLY EIGHT YEARS, BE THE OUTSIDER TO TAKE ON ANDREW GINTHER?

>> HE SAYS HE'S THE CANDIDATE OF CHANGE.

BUT THE QUESTION IS, WHAT'S HE GOING TO CHANGE THAT WAS WRONG?

HE SAID IT WAS TOO MUCH SECRECY.

WHAT'S HE WANT TO CHANGE IT TO?

BECAUSE HERE'S ONE OF THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS AT CITY HALL, BOTH SHANNON AND ANDY HAVE BEEN SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY.

THE CITY AUDITORS TRIED TO WARN THEM OF SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS.

THEY BOTH WANT TO BE MAYOR.

WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO DIFFERENTLY, PARTICULARLY AS THE BUDGET IS BUCKLED DOWN.

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS.

IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING RIDE.

>> CITY HALL WORRIES ABOUT THE BUDGET.

THE AVERAGE VOTER WORRIES ABOUT THE COST OF RENT, THE COST OF TAXES.

SHANNON HARDEN OFFERS A DIFFERENT WAY.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HIS POLICIES ARE GOING TO BE.

HE SAID HE'S GOING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE BIG BUSINESS AND MORE TOWARD THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> I THINK BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER, I THINK VOTERS ARE REALLY CONCERNED THAT THEIR POLITICIANS WORK FOR CORPORATIONS AND NOT FOR THEM.

I THINK IT IS A SMART MOVE TO DIFFERENTIATE HIMSELF BY SAYING I'M WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY AND NOT FOR THE CORPORATIONS THAT OFTEN GET THE HEADLINES AND ATTENTION AND FAVORITISM, FRANKLY.

I THINK IT'S SMART.

I HOPE THAT HE MEANS TO BE MORE ACTUALLY DEMOCRATIC IN HOW HE'S MAKING THESE DECISIONS AND BRINGING MORE PEOPLE INTO THAT PROCESS RATHER THAN THESE CLOSED DOOR NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE ALL AS VOTERS FIND OUT ABOUT ONCE THE INK IS DRY.

I THINK IT'S A SMART MOVE AND I DO THINK IT'S A REFLECTIVE OF THE CHANGE YOU'RE SEEING IN VOTERS.

WE SAW THAT THE OHIO GOT THE BEST STATE IN THE BUSINESS AND THEN WE SAW ALL THESE OTHER RANKINGS COME OUT THAT WERE WORSE OR LOWER.

SO, BUSINESS MIGHT BE THRIVING, BUT HOW IS EVERYONE ELSE DOING?

>> FROM A REPORTER STAND.

EVEN FROM AN AVERAGE VOTER STANDPOINT, THERE WOULD BE A STORY TO COVER AND A CHOICE TO BE MADE WHERE IN THE PAST REALLY ALMOST THE PAST 20 YEARS, NONE OF THE RACES HAVE BEEN THAT COMPETITIVE FOR MAYOR.

>> YEAH.

I THINK IT'S WHAT IS REALLY NOTABLE, THAT IF THIS CONTINUES THERE WILL BE A LEGITIMATE CHOICE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE VOTING FOR MAYOR VERSUS WHEN THEY'RE VOTING FOR THEIR STATE LAWMAKER, FOR THE PRESIDENT, THEY'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AROUND AT THEIR IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS.

HOW OFTEN IS MY POWER GOING OUT.

HOW HIGH ARE MY BILLS.

SOME OF THAT IS DETERMINED BY UTILITIES THAT ARE REGULATED STATE-WIDE.

WHAT DOES MY STREETS LOOK LIKE?

WHEN DOES MY TRASH GET PICKED UP?

I THINK IN THAT SENSE, ALTHOUGH HARDEN IS PAINTING HIMSELF AS THE OUTSIDER AND HE'S RUNNING AGAINST AN INCUMBENT --AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HARDEN IS A KNOWN QUANTITY TO VOTERS BECAUSE WE KNOW HIM, BECAUSE WE'RE IN POLITICAL CIRCLES -- IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MUCH THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON --IT'S ALSO A QUESTION OF HOW WELL GINTHER HAS CONVINCED PEOPLE WHAT HE'S DONE.

>> WHERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS IN THIS RACE?

>> NOT SURE THAT THEY'LL BE THERE, BUT THE INTERESTING THING IS PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE FOR COLUMBUS MAYOR THERE'S NOT A DEMOCRAT PRIMARY OR REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE FILING.

SO, IT WILL BE A VERY INTERESTING MAY PRIMARY BEFORE THE TOP VOTE GETTERS FACE EACH OTHER IN THE FALL.

FOR THE MEDIA IT'S ALMOST LIKE A DOUBLE BONUS.

YOU COULD HAVE TWO THINGS TO BE TALKING ABOUT.

>> DO WE EXPECT ANOTHER BIGGER NAME TO ENTER THIS RACE?

>> COULD VERY WELL HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE'S SOME OTHER PEOPLE REALIZING THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME CHANCE.

AND BOTH CANDIDATES HAVE SOME BAGGAGE AND SOME THINGS THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

SO, THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO BREAK THROUGH THE PACK.

AND THAT'S HAPPENED IN CLEVELAND AND CINCINNATI RECENTLY, WHERE THE FIRST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE TO ANNOUNCE WERE THE WINNERS.

>> STATE- WIDE THERE'S NO DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST LIKE IN MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA WE SAW LAST WEEK.

IS THERE A DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MOVEMENT IN COLUMBUS THAT COULD PUT A CANDIDATE FORWARD?

I MEAN, JESSE VOGEL TOOK ON THE ESTABLISHMENT, NEARLY WON THE CITY COUNCIL RACE LAST YEAR.

THAT MOVEMENT IS THERE.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I ACTUALLY HADN'T REALLY HEARD ANY OTHER NAMES UNTIL THIS WEEK AND NOW I'VE HEARD A HANDFUL OF NAMES FLOATING AROUND.

I THINK WE'RE AT THE EARLY END OF THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

I JUST FRANKLY DON'T THINK THAT VERY MANY PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS IN TERMS OF THAT TYPE OF LABELLED IDEOLOGY.

I THINK PEOPLE REALLY ARE TAKING THINGS ISSUE BY ISSUE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMEONE BRANDED AS --SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS THE SAME PLATFORM IDEAS.

>> WHO DOES THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WANT, TERRY?

WELL, WHAT DO THE DEVELOPERS WANT?

>> THE DEVELOPERS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT TODAY'S DISPATCH, 50, 80, $100,000 TO PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES, THEY'RE CAUGHT AND CONFUSED BECAUSE THEY'VE PUT A LOT OF MONEY DOWN ON BOTH OF THEM, AND NOW THEY'RE BATTLING EACH OTHER.

THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT THE OLD DAYS WHEN WE HAD THE FIVE JOHNS IN COLUMBUS, WHERE WE HAD THE POWER --BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO TAKE ANY LEADERSHIP.

>> WE'LL SEE WHERE THE WIND'S BLOWING.

GETTING TO BOTH MIGHT BE CONSIDERED HEDGING THEIR BETS.

>> LET'S SEE WHO'S GOING TO WIN, THEN THEY BET.

>> AFTER WEEKS OF UNCERTAINTY AND ANXIETY, THERE IS WORD THAT IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES ARE DETAINING HAITIAN REFUGEES IN SPRINGFIELD.

THE HAITIAN SUPPORT CENTER SAYS 17 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DETAINED IN THE CITY, WHICH IS HOME TO MORE THAN 12,000 HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS.

SPRINGFIELD MAYOR SAYS IMMIGRATIONS CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE ACTIVE IN THE CITY.

I. C. E. DECLINED TO CONFIRM ANY DETENTIONS.

LEGAL TEMPORARY STATUS FOR HAITIANS ENDED AT THE END OF JULY.

SARAH DONALDSON, AGAIN, THERE'S NO MASS ARREST, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE SAW A FLIGHT TO HAITI THIS WEEK FROM ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, FIRST DEPORTATION FLIGHT FROM UNITED STATES TO HAITI.

IT SEEMS LIKE THESE DETENTIONS ARE STARTING.

>> YEAH.

AND I THINK THIS WAS TO BE EXPECTED NO MATTER WHAT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAID QUITE FRANKLY BECAUSE THESE FOLKS ARE NO LONGER LIVING HERE LEGALLY.

AND REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS HAVE MADE A POINT OF THAT.

YOU KNOW, I ASKED SENATOR JOHN HOUSTON AND SENATOR BERNIE MORENO AND THEY SAID, THE LAW IS THE LAW, AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS CHANGED THE LAW ON THESE FOLKS, AND THEY'RE NO LONGER HERE LEGALLY.

THEY'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO WORK.

AND OF COURSE THERE WAS A WONDER IF SOME FOLKS MIGHT SELF-DEPORT TO SOME SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES.

I'VE ASKED DIFFERENT AGENCIES IF THERE'S ANY PROOF OF THAT AND HAVEN'T QUITE SEEN THAT.

BUT LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S NOT THIS MASS RAID ENFORCEMENT.

IT SEEMS TO BE PIECE BY PIECE.

>> COMPANIES ARE STARTING TO FEEL THE EFFECT BECAUSE THESE FOLKS LOST THEIR WORK PERMITS WHEN THE FIRST PROTECTIVE STATUS WENT AWAY.

>> I WORK CLOSELY WITH A BUSINESS MANUFACTURING LEADER OVER THERE AND HE'S TOLD ME THE CHANGES HAVE BEEN EVOLVING.

WE FORGET TPS, THE T STANDS FOR TEMPORARY.

EVERYBODY KNEW THIS WAS NOT GOING TO LAST FOREVER.

BUT IT'S BEEN EVOLVING.

IT'S BEEN CHANGING.

AND INTERESTINGLY, THE GOOD NEWS FOR SPRINGFIELD IS THEY'VE HAD SOME MAJOR INDUSTRY COME IN IN THE LAST YEAR.

>>.

>> THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM.

AND LAST WEEK MIKE DeWINE DID AN OP-ED IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" WHICH DETAILED WE DO NEED IMMIGRANTS HERE TO FILL OUR LABOR FORCE, AND CLEARLY WE NEED DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TO COME TOGETHER.

THERE'S A NEED TO DO IT RIGHT.

HOW DO YOU FIX IT?

THAT'S PART OF THE CHALLENGE.

>> GOVERNOR DeWINE HAS BEEN PRETTY VOCAL.

I DON'T THINK HE'S IN LINE WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ON THIS.

BUT DO YOU THINK HIS VOCAL ADVOCACY FOR THESE FOLKS HAVE SLOWED THE PROCESS A BIT?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO SAY.

I KNOW THAT I HAVE HEARD MORE AND MORE THIS WEEK THAT EACH DAY HAVE BEEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND THEY DO SEEM TO BE INTENSIFYING.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO THE GROUND WAS MOVED UNDERNEATH THEIR FEET.

THEY WERE HERE LEGALLY.

THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE PROCESS.

MANY HAVE HAD CHECK- INS SINCE THAT TPS EXPIRED AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, CONSENSUALLY COME IN TO MEET WITH THESE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS.

AND SOME ARE EVEN WEARING ANKLE MONITORS.

THIS IS NOT A GROUP THAT WAS TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT.

THIS IS A GROUP WHO THE LAW CHANGED WHILE THEY WERE HERE.

THE SITUATION AT HOME HAS NOT GOTTEN LESS DANGEROUS.

AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.

>> GOVERNOR DeWINE CALLED ON PRESIDENT TRUMP TO DO A NIXON AND CHINA MOMENT.

HE WENT AFTER --MADE FRIENDS WITH A COMMUNIST.

HE WANTS TRUMP TO BROKER AN IMMIGRATION REFORM PACKAGE.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

>> THE ODDS BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER ARE SLIM TO NONE.

>> BEFORE TRUMP LEAVES OFFICE.

>> WHO KNOWS?

WHAT NIXON DID WAS UNUSUAL, BUT -- >> I WAS GOING TO FIRST HIT THE NATIONAL DEBT HITTING $40 TRILLION, A NEW ALL-TIME RECORD.

BUT FOCUS CLOSE TO HOME.

CITY HALL HAS GOT A BIG PROBLEM THE NEXT TWO WEEKS DECIDING WHETHER THERE IS GOING TO BE A SECOND COMPETING BALLOT ISSUE.

AND HOW DO THEY RUN A CAMPAIGN IF THERE'S TWO ISSUES.

YOU SAY VOTE YES AND VOTE NO.

A LOT TO BE DETERMINED AT CITY HALL.

>> I'M THINKING A LOT ABOUT HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE FAITH COMMUNITIES IN OHIO THAT HAVE STOOD UP TO THESE IMMIGRANTS AS THEIR ENTIRE REALITY HAS BEEN RIPPED UP.

SO, I JUST HAVE BEEN WATCHING IN ADMIRATION AS THESE FAITH COMMUNITIES IN SPRINGFIELD RESPOND TO THIS, YOU KNOW, RISE IN DEPORTATIONS.

AND I'M GLAD THAT THEY ARE IN OUR STATE.

>> AND SARAH?

>> DOESN'T HAVE A TON TO DO WITH GOVERNMENT, BUT CERTAINLY SENDING MY THOUGHTS OUT TO ANYONE WHO WAS AFFECTED BY JUST THE ROUNDS OF VERY SEVERE WEATHER IN OHIO ACROSS THE STATE, BUT CERTAINLY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES, A LOT OF FLOODING, A LOT OF DAMAGE.

>> FOR LONGTIME VIEWERS, I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT ONCE AGAIN AMERICANS ARE UNABLE TO SEE CRUCIAL LEGAL MATTERS IN FEDERAL COURT.

THIS WEEK IT IS THE CHILD SAFETY AND SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION TRIAL OF META.

LAST WEEK IT WAS THE GUILTY PLEA OF A MAN WHO SHOT A HEALTH CARE CEO.

VERY IMPORTANT CASES THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE BAN ON CAMERAS IN FEDERAL COURT.

THAT IS "COLUMBUS ON THE RECORD" FOR THIS WEEK.

A REMINDER, CHECK US OUT ON YOUTUBE.

YOU CAN WATCH US ON YOUTUBE.

CHECK OUT THE NEWS YOUTUBE PAGE.

YOU CAN ALSO WATCH US ON DEMAND AT OUR WEBSITE WOSU.

ORG AND THE PBS APP.

I'M MIKE THOMPSON.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.