Mike DeWine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike DeWine
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Official portrait, 2018
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| 70th Governor of Ohio | |
| Assumed office January 14, 2019 |
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| Lieutenant | Jon Husted Vacant |
| Preceded by | John Kasich |
| 50th Attorney General of Ohio | |
| In office January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2019 |
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| Governor | John Kasich |
| Preceded by | Richard Cordray |
| Succeeded by | Dave Yost |
| United States Senator from Ohio |
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| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Howard Metzenbaum |
| Succeeded by | Sherrod Brown |
| 59th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio | |
| In office January 14, 1991 – November 12, 1994 |
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| Governor | George Voinovich |
| Preceded by | Paul Leonard |
| Succeeded by | Nancy Hollister |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 7th district |
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| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Bud Brown |
| Succeeded by | Dave Hobson |
| Member of the Ohio Senate from the 10th district |
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| In office January 2, 1981 – December 13, 1982 |
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| Preceded by | John Mahoney |
| Succeeded by | Dave Hobson |
| Prosecutor of Greene County | |
| In office 1977–1981 |
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| Preceded by | Nicholas Carrera |
| Succeeded by | William Schenck |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Michael DeWine
January 5, 1947 Springfield, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Frances Struewing
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 8, including Pat |
| Residence | Governor's Mansion |
| Education | Miami University (BA) Ohio Northern University (JD) |
Richard Michael DeWine (born January 5, 1947) is an American politician and lawyer. He is currently the 70th governor of Ohio, a position he has held since 2019.
Before becoming governor, DeWine served in many important roles. He was the chief lawyer for Ohio, known as the attorney general, from 2011 to 2019. He also represented Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1991 and in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2007.
DeWine grew up in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He went to Miami University and then studied law at Ohio Northern University College of Law. After finishing law school, he worked as a prosecutor for Greene County, Ohio. He then served in the Ohio Senate and later became the lieutenant governor of Ohio in 1991.
He was elected governor in 2018. During his time as governor, he has focused on public safety and health. He was reelected in 2022.
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Early Life and Education
Mike DeWine was born and grew up in Yellow Springs, Ohio. His parents are Jean Ruth (Liddle) and Richard Lee DeWine. He is of Irish background and is a Roman Catholic.
He earned his first degree in education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1969. Later, he earned a law degree from Ohio Northern University College of Law in 1972.
Starting His Political Career
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At 25, DeWine began working as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Greene County, Ohio. In 1976, he was elected as the County Prosecutor, serving for four years.
In 1980, he was elected to the Ohio State Senate. He served one two-year term there.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1982, Mike DeWine ran for the United States House of Representatives. He won the election for Ohio's 7th congressional district. He was reelected three more times from this area. This district included his hometown of Springfield and areas near Columbus.
In 1986, DeWine was part of a group of House members who handled the impeachment trial of Judge Harry E. Claiborne. The United States Senate found Judge Claiborne guilty and removed him from his job.
Lieutenant Governor of Ohio
DeWine did not run for reelection to the House of Representatives in 1990. Instead, he became the running mate for George Voinovich in the election for lieutenant governor. The team of Voinovich and DeWine won the election easily.
In 1992, DeWine ran for the United States Senate but did not win. He ran against former astronaut and Senator John Glenn.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
In 1994, DeWine ran for the Senate again and won. He defeated lawyer Joel Hyatt. DeWine was reelected in 2000.
While in the Senate, he was on important committees, including the Judiciary and Select Intelligence committees. He supported the Drug-Free Century Act in 1999. He also voted to allow the use of force against Saddam Hussein in 2002.
In 2006, DeWine ran for reelection but lost to Sherrod Brown.
Returning to Government as Attorney General
After leaving the Senate, DeWine taught government classes at several universities. In 2007, he joined a law firm.
In 2009, DeWine announced he would run for attorney general of Ohio. He won the election in 2010, defeating the person who held the job before him, Richard Cordray. As attorney general, he encouraged drugstores to stop selling tobacco products.
He was reelected as attorney general in 2014. He won in most of Ohio's counties.
Important Legal Cases
In 2015, DeWine filed a lawsuit against a part of the Affordable Care Act. He argued that a fee from the program was not allowed for state and local governments. However, the federal court dismissed his lawsuit in 2016.
In 2017, DeWine became involved when the owner of the soccer team Columbus Crew wanted to move the team out of Ohio. Ohio law requires professional sports teams that have received public money to let local owners try to buy the team first. DeWine filed a lawsuit to make sure this law was followed. In 2018, a group of investors, including the owners of the Cleveland Browns, worked out a deal to keep the team in Columbus.
Governor of Ohio
2018 Election
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In 2016, DeWine announced he would run for governor of Ohio. In 2017, he chose Jon Husted as his running mate. They won the Republican primary election in May 2018.
In the general election, DeWine defeated Richard Cordray. He won by about four percentage points.
First Term as Governor
In February 2019, President Trump appointed DeWine to a group called the Council of Governors. This group advises the President on defense matters.
In October 2019, DeWine started a committee to help advise him on how to remove lead from homes and buildings in Ohio. In December 2019, he supported cities being able to ban plastic bags. He was against bills that would stop cities from doing this.
DeWine also said he wanted to make Ohio's Interstate rest areas better. He wanted them to share more about Ohio's history and culture. In late December, he announced that Ohio would continue to welcome refugees.
2020: Responding to Challenges
In January 2020, DeWine sent troops from the Ohio National Guard to Puerto Rico. This was after the island experienced several earthquakes. He also signed a bill to give $30 million to Ohio farmers to help prevent algal blooms.
On January 27, DeWine signed a bill to help military members and their spouses find jobs in Ohio. This bill makes it easier to transfer their job licenses. In February 2020, he announced new laws to stop distracted driving.
In early 2020, DeWine received national attention for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He quickly took action to protect Ohioans. He canceled large events and ordered the closing of restaurants for dine-in service. He was one of the first governors in the U.S. to take such strong steps. He also closed schools across the state and postponed Ohio's primary election. The BBC noted that DeWine often relied on health experts for guidance during daily news briefings.
2022: Supporting Ukraine
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, DeWine showed strong support for Ukraine. He said the invasion was "unacceptable." On February 26, he declared February 27, 2022, a "Day of Prayer for the People of Ukraine."
On March 8, he asked state agencies and charities to plan for possibly helping Ukrainian citizens who might need to resettle in Ohio. A summit was held on March 17 to discuss these plans.
Political Views
Fair Voting Maps
In 2021, DeWine signed a new map for voting districts. This map was seen as favoring Republicans. Voting rights groups asked him to veto the map. In 2018, Ohio voters had approved changes to make redistricting more bipartisan. DeWine had promised to respect the voters' wishes.
LGBT Rights
DeWine has stated his opposition to same-sex marriage. He supported a change to the U.S. Constitution that would have prevented same-sex marriage. He argued in the Supreme Court that states should not have to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. The Supreme Court later ruled that bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional.
In 2021, DeWine opposed a bill that would have stopped transgender athletes from playing on sports teams that do not match their sex at birth. He believed this issue should be handled by sports leagues and associations, not by the government.
Internet Rules
As Attorney General, DeWine did not join lawsuits that many other states filed. These lawsuits were against changes to Net neutrality rules. These rules help ensure fair access to the internet for everyone.
Other Policies
In 2020, DeWine signed a bill that prevents colleges and universities in Ohio from blocking controversial speakers. In 2020, his salary as governor was $159,189.
Personal Life
DeWine lives in the Whitelaw Reid House. He married Frances Struewing on June 3, 1967. They have had eight children together. Sadly, their daughter Rebecca died in a car accident in 1993 at age 22.
One of their sons, Pat DeWine, is a Justice on the Ohio Supreme Court. Another son, Brian, is the president of the Minor League Baseball team, the Asheville Tourists. The DeWine family bought the team in 2010.
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