Happy Thursday! With Election Day approaching, we're examining what's lost when political attacks take center stage and debate popularity fades.

🌫️ Today's weather: Fog early, then sunshine. High of 70, low of 44.

🎶 Sounds like: "State Of The World" by Janet Jackson.

980 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Ohio's race for governor turned intensely personal this week and top statewide candidates aren't debating as election season hits its final stretch.

Why it matters: Political attacks aren't new, but the atmosphere raises questions about whether voters can meaningfully evaluate candidates' ideas, the leader of a local academic center focused on civil politics tells us.

State of play: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton had already declined in September to debate Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, citing his personal attacks.

• That was before Ramaswamy's campaign doubled down this week on a controversial ad featuring Acton's estranged mother, who accuses her daughter of lying about her childhood.
• Acton says her mother failed to protect her from childhood sexual abuse. She accused Ramaswamy of exploiting her trauma.

Meanwhile, no debate has been scheduled between Republican Sen. Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown.

Zoom out: An Axios analysis from last month found five of 10 closely watched gubernatorial races had no agreed-upon debates, compared with two four years ago.

• Three of 10 competitive Senate races also had none scheduled.

What they're saying: Debates may not change votes, but they allow competing ideas to be challenged in real time, says Andrew Lewis, founding executive director of the University of Cincinnati's Portman Center for Policy Solutions.

• "You don't get too many chances where people of different parties, vying for the same role, stand next to each other," he tells Axios.
• The center was launched in partnership with former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman to promote civility in public policy dialogue.

Yes, but: Debates themselves have increasingly devolved into "talking points and gotcha" moments, Lewis acknowledges.

The big picture: Lewis says younger Americans have grown up knowing little beyond intense political polarization.

• His center mentors undergraduate fellows and hosts conversations across political divides to demonstrate productive disagreement.

The bottom line: Lewis says reversing the trend requires grassroots organizing and political leaders willing to embrace a different approach.

• "You've got to find the hope because that's what we need."

As personal attacks dominate the race's final stretch, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton offer competing visions for Ohio's future.

Why it matters: The election will determine whether the governor's office continues its run of Republican leadership or elects a Democrat for the first time since Ted Strickland in 2006.

The big picture: Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate from Cincinnati, is campaigning on deregulation and conservative education reforms.

The other side: Acton, who became a household name as the initial face of Ohio's pandemic response, is emphasizing affordability, public education and health care.

By the numbers: A Bowling Green State University/YouGov poll conducted Sept. 29-Oct. 9 showed Acton leading 50% to 44% — a six-point margin within the poll's margin of error.

Follow the money: The Ramaswamy campaign spent or reserved over $97 million in TV and radio spots as of last week, Cleveland.com reported.

• That's more than triple Democratic spending.

The bottom line: An Acton victory would make her Ohio's first woman elected governor, though she would likely still contend with a GOP-controlled Statehouse.

• A Ramaswamy victory would put a prominent Trump ally in charge, potentially accelerating changes to education and government spending.

🎃 The Cincinnati Museum Center is getting spooky tonight, with a 21+ Halloween party featuring creepy science experiments, a scavenger hunt and a costume contest. Tickets required. (CMC)

🐘 Vice President JD Vance told Republicans to "stop whining" over Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial ad featuring opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother. (Journal-News)

🐔 Clifton's first Chick-fil-A (outside of UC's campus) opens today at 198 E. McMillan St., bringing 125 jobs. (Press release)

Every fall, lumpy green orbs tumble from Ohio trees, leaving windshields cracked and heads scratched. Meet "monkey brains," the bizarre, wrinkly fruit of the Osage orange tree.

The intrigue: These botanical oddballs have a wild history, from fencing farms to potentially feeding prehistoric giants.

• Farmers brought Osage oranges to Ohio in the 1800s, using their thorny branches as living fences before barbed wire came along.

Flash way back: Scientists suspect mammoths, mastodons and giant ground sloths once ate the fruit, spreading its seeds.

• Cincinnati Parks, which recently highlighted our "giant, wrinkly green balls," notes the fossil evidence.

Today, monkey brains are better at turning heads than serving any practical purpose.

• They're not considered poisonous, but bitter flesh and sticky sap make them... kinda gross.
• Despite their reputation as spider repellents, Iowa State researchers say there's no evidence they keep pests away.
• Smashing eight-legged invaders with one might be your best bet.

Cincinnati Animal CARE is running out of room for dogs. It's hoping a weekend of free adoptions (and some costume-clad pups) will help.

Why it matters: Hamilton County's only open intake shelter has well over 300 dogs on site, but can comfortably handle only about 250 — and even that's pushing it, says spokesperson Lisa Colina.

How to help: Adoption fees are waived Friday through Sunday for cats and dogs 6 months and older.

• There's still a $19.75 dog license fee still for Hamilton County residents.
• Not sure you're ready to adopt? The shelter offers a 48-hour foster-to-adopt trial to see whether a pup is a good fit.

Plus: The shelter is hosting a free trunk-or-treat from 11am-1pm Saturday at 3949 Colerain Ave., where you can meet adoptable dogs.

• Get a sneak peek at the good boys and girls looking for homes on the Cincinnati Animal CARE website.

🐶 Swilley highly recommends rescuing a pittie.

🫣 Casey never thought he'd put his dog in a sweater, but here we are.

Editor Tyler Buchanan has a nose for good copy.