I’m writing you on about two hours of sleep from last night after CCV’s Election Night Watch Party in Cincinnati. I’m also writing you from home, because we closed the CCV office in downtown Columbus this morning after most businesses boarded up their windows for fear of election-related rioting by liberal protestors.

More than 12 hours after the polls closed in Ohio, there are still so many questions left unanswered across the country. While the presidency is still unclear, it seems likely that Republicans hold the U.S. Senate, and Democrats hold Congress, each with smaller majorities.Yet in Ohio, the picture is much clearer. And there are a few important take-aways from last night that will fundamentally reshape the future of the Buckeye state, in incredibly positive ways for the pro-life, pro-family, pro-freedom cause.Here are my top three lessons learned: 

1. Ohio is a Decisively Pro-Life/Pro-Family State: It’s now been three election cycles in a row that pro-life candidates have swept the state, both in the General Assembly and Statewide.

   
   

   This isn’t just a coincidence or that pro-life/pro-family issues are secondary. Ohio has made national headlines moving significant pro-life legislation like the CCV-backed Heartbeat Bill. Planned Parenthood has attacked pro-life candidates at every turn, and it’s only backfired on them again and again. Equality Ohio and their corporate backers have spent millions in Ohio to paint our state as discriminatory and hate-filled. But both messages have failed. And Ohio stands once again for love, respect, and dignity for all – especially the unborn.

   I’ll also note: the candidates in both parties in the General Assembly that shied away from taking a bold stance for life, family and freedom didn’t fare so well.The bottom line is that if you want to win Ohio, you have to oppose the gruesome destruction of unborn lives.

2. Ohio’s Future is Bright… and Innovative: For those of you who attended the CCV Gala, you know we have big plans to expand educational opportunities for families, and fundamentally rethink how we raise up the next generation in our state.The election results last night confirm to me that our time is now. The next several years in Ohio will be Be encouraged!

3. Polling is dead in Ohio: Kim Strassel from the Wall Street Journal pointed this out last night:

Cleveland.com/Baldwin Wallace’s Great Lakes poll was off even more – they had Vice President Biden up by 7 points.

What this means long term is very simple: tune out the media spin and pollsters. For Christians that want to have their voice heard come election season, focus on the things we can impact: voter registration, education, and helping folks turn out to vote. Let the polls take care of themselves.

I’ll share some final election results once the presidency is finalized, but for now, I’m encouraged, and incredibly bullish about what we’ll be able to accomplish together.

Looking forward to tomorrow,

Aaron Baer

President

Citizens for Community Values