Former Pennsylvania Republican Senator Rick Santorum was widely criticized after he griped on Newsmax about how "very sexy things" like abortion and marijuana ballot measures motivated younger voters to participate in this week's election.
Santorum also questioned the very idea of allowing voters to decide on various issues through referendums. He remarked that "pure democracies are not the way to run a country."
Santorum's remarks were in reference to the election outcome in Ohio, where a significant milestone was reached as voters approved Issue 1, which enshrines the right to abortion into the state's constitution.
This win for abortion rights marked the seventh consecutive victory in state ballot measures since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in mid-2022. The passage of Issue 1 was met with a strong voter turnout.
Issue 2—the question of whether to legalize recreational marijuana—also passed by a wide margin. The measure will allow adults 21 and older to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to six marijuana plants at home. It will also establish a 10-percent tax on marijuana sales.
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Santorum said:
“You put very sexy things like abortion and marijuana on the ballot, and a lot of young people come out and vote. It was a secret sauce for disaster in Ohio."
"I don't know what they were thinking. Thank goodness that most of the states in this country don’t allow you to put everything on the ballot because pure democracies are not the way to run a country."
Santorum's comments generated significant criticism, with many questioning his perspective on issues of individual rights and the democratic process.
Ohio's GOP leadership made it clear they will work to roll back what voters have approved.
Because Issue 2 is an initiated statute, legislators possess the ability to make adjustments, which they were already pledging to do even before the election.
Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens, who represents Kitt Hill, emphasized on Tuesday that the Legislature should consider reallocating tax revenue from the adult-use program to focus on increased investment in jail construction and enhanced law enforcement training.
Meanwhile, Senate President Matt Huffman, who represents Lima, claimed the statute "was crafted by the marijuana industry and should not be perceived as an opportunity for profiting from their cash crop at the expense of a state endeavoring to recover from the opioid epidemic."
Both GOP leaders voiced similar concerns regarding the abortion amendment, even though repealing a constitutional amendment once it's in effect can be challenging. Huffman and Stephens supported an unsuccessful initiative in August to make constitutional changes more difficult, aiming to hinder the abortion amendment.
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