Abortion is already shaping up to be a key topic in this year's presidential election and crucial statewide races, including the one between Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger Bernie Moreno.

Why it matters: Democrats hold a slim majority in the U.S. Senate, but Republicans are eyeing several vulnerable incumbents, including Brown, for seats they could flip.

What they're saying: "The race between Brown and Moreno is going to be a tight one, I can imagine," Robert Alexander, professor of political science at Ohio Northern University, tells Axios.

• "A major issue like abortion could swing it one way."

Flashback: Last August, Ohio voters rejected Issue 1, which anti-abortion rights advocates hoped would make it tougher to pass an abortion rights amendment in the state constitution.

• Then, last November, voters adopted an amendment that guarantees a person's right to an abortion and other reproductive care up until fetal viability.

The intrigue: Following Moreno's victory in the GOP Senate primary last month, Democrats released statements calling a vote for Moreno "a vote for a national abortion ban," and noting he said he's donated "hundreds of thousands of dollars" to anti-abortion rights causes.

• Moreno contributed $100,000 last summer to one such group, Protect Women Ohio Fund.

Meanwhile, Brown has touted his record of supporting abortion access.

• "I know where my opponents stand, too," he said of the GOP primary candidates. "All three would overturn the will of Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban."

The other side: Moreno said in March he would vote for a national abortion ban of 15 weeks with "commonsense restrictions that again eliminate late-term abortions."

• Former President Trump — the presumptive GOP presidential nominee — said this month he thinks the issue should be left to the states to decide.
• Shortly after, Moreno's campaign told the New York Times, "Bernie has always said it should be primarily decided at the state level."

Axios asked Moreno's campaign this week to comment on the candidate's abortion policy.

• A spokesperson said Moreno's "stance is well-documented" and linked to Moreno's earlier support for the national abortion ban.

The bottom line: "The Democrats have to thread a pretty tight needle in order to get control of the legislature, and Brown's seat is a critical piece of that," says Alexander.

Ohio wants its rest areas to be more than bathroom and vending machine stops.

• The state is turning dozens of them into full-on tourism centers, each highlighting nearby attractions and historical sites across the state.

Driving the news: Gov. Mike DeWine cut the ribbon last Thursday on a re-designed rest area on I-70 westbound in Licking County.

What's inside: We visited the morning of DeWine's event and were wowed by an entire section featuring the nearby Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, which was named last year to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

• Large photos suggest places in Columbus to visit, with some, like COSI and Short North, featuring QR codes leading to more information.

The intrigue: A large screen also displays travel alerts and a rotation of Ohio Department of Transportation highway traffic cameras.

What they're saying: The "whole idea" is to get travelers to spend more time in the Buckeye State, ODOT spokesperson Matt Bruning tells us.

• He envisions a driver headed from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh being inspired by the Earthworks exhibit to make a detour to Newark or at least plan a future trip.

The big picture: Forty-five rest areas are getting this tourism upgrade, Bruning says.

• That includes 33 existing stops being torn down and rebuilt from scratch, and 12 (like the one in Licking County) getting remodeled.

Zoom in: Two in Fayette County along I-71 will reopen later this year.

• Nearly a dozen more on various Central Ohio highways are set to reopen through 2026.

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🌪️ You're not imagining things ... Ohio leads the nation in tornadoes spotted in 2024. (Dispatch)

🚓 Gahanna is cracking down on distracted driving through stricter penalties for repeat offenders. (WCMH-TV)

🏫 Columbus State Community College and Ohio Wesleyan University are partnering to offer cheaper courses for local students. (Spectrum News 1)

👕 Express, a mall-based clothing retailer based in Columbus, filed yesterday for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. (Axios Pro 🔒)

Most Ohio bridges are in "good" condition, we reported earlier this month, but that still leaves over 1,000 bridges considered to be structurally deficient.

State of play: The above map offers another visual for how many of these troubled bridges are scattered around Ohio and how they've been in bad shape for years.

Zoom in: One troubled bridge is in Franklin County, located on Harrisburg Georgesville Road atop Big Darby Creek.

• The bridge was built in 1932, rebuilt in 1980, and now carries around 2,200 vehicles per day.
• It's been in "poor" condition for over 10 years, per National Bridge Inventory data.

The big picture

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