Ohio Issue 2: Citizens United Launches Big Ad Buy

Citizens United, a conservative nonprofit group, is launching an ad Thursday supporting Ohio's Issue 2 costing over $100,000, reports Politico. The 501(c)(4) group became the source of national controversy for its role as the plaintiff in a 2010 landmark Supreme Court decision that allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts in elections.

A "yes" vote on Issue 2 would uphold Ohio's S.B. 5 law banning public employees from being able to collectively bargain for benefits and requiring public employees to pay a certain percentage of their health and pension benefits. A "no" vote would repeal the law.

The female narrator in the ad says, "Unions need the right to bargain for wages. But we parents and educators deserve the right to run our own schools. Common sense reforms to help our children and grandchildren."

Two recent polls show that the issue is headed for a defeat by margins of over twenty points.

Another pro-Issue 2 ad drew controversy in October. An Ohio woman who said she was a strong opponent of the measure was used in an ad promoting the measure. Several television stations pulled the misleading ad.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) signed S.B. 5 and has been rallying support for Issue 2. But if it loses at expected, experts say he'll face few long-term consequences since he still has three years left in his term.

Ohioans will vote on the measure Nov. 8.