COLUMBUS, Ohio — If Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is elected governor, he said he would allow 18- to 20-year-olds to buy handguns. In contrast, Democrat Dr. Amy Acton is focusing on bipartisan safety initiatives.
Both federal and state law ban the majority of 18- to 20-year-olds from buying handguns. Ramaswamy said that isn’t fair, since 18-year-olds can join the military.
"Why can't you similarly purchase at the age of 18 in certain markets where you're restricted from doing so before the age of 21? Doesn't make sense," Ramaswamy said during a Columbus Metropolitan Club event Wednesday.
Last month, the Department of Justice released an opinion saying the law is unconstitutional and violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
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In Ohio, adults under 21 can buy long guns like rifles, just not handguns. There are already exceptions for specific young adults in the military or law enforcement.
"Change that I would be in favor of making in Ohio to ensure that we're fully protecting what the Second Amendment was intended to protect," Ramaswamy said.
Opponents argue that gun violence is still a concern and giving more underdeveloped brains access to firearms could exacerbate the problem. It's a problem Acton, as a public health official, worked to address.
"We're going to see more and more movement, mothers demanding action, young people who have lived through school shootings," Acton said Thursday.
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While she is a big supporter of the Second Amendment, Acton said the issue of gun deaths needs to be tackled.
"What we're asking for: reasonable, reasonable measures around gun laws and gun safety, and you'll see me looking into that," she said.
She referenced polling from universities like Johns Hopkins and also Fox News, which both found that the vast majority of gun owners and Americans want what they call “common-sense” safety regulations.
"Eighty percent of gun owners want reasonable, reasonable measures, background checks, red flag laws, safety for keeping guns at home," Acton said, noting these are bipartisan solutions. "I think we would all agree on that."
Ramaswamy disagreed.
"Those things have been abused because it doesn't even need to go through a judicial process," he said during a Friday event. "It's a complete slippery slope all the way down."
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Libertarian Don Kissick and running mate James Mills combined both Ramaswamy's and Acton's stances, saying that they do agree that 18-year-olds should be able to buy a handgun, but the state needs to prioritize gun violence prevention.
"I’d rather focus on addressing the underlying causes of violence, improving access to mental healthcare, strengthening community-based intervention programs, and expanding voluntary firearm safety education, including age-appropriate safety education in schools," Mills said.
The state's top police union has begged the legislators to stop loosening gun laws, saying it only makes their jobs harder. They would rather increase penalties for offenders, the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio has said for years.
Current gun policy
Ohio has not only been loosening gun regulations for years, but it has also been trying to make it more difficult for cities and townships to decide their own ordinances.
Just this spring, the state Senate Republicans passed a bill that would penalize local governments for enacting gun safety regulations.
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Both the cities of Columbus and Cincinnati have been trying to keep guns locked away from children. Each is currently defending their local ordinances in court, ones that require owners to lock their firearms.
Lawmakers passed S.B. 278, which further restricts a city or township's ability to pass local laws. It allows anyone to sue municipalities that have gun safety laws. It also lets judges fine cities, award money to plaintiffs and require cities to pay all legal fees.
In 2022, Ohio passed “constitutional carry” into law, which allows residents to carry a concealed handgun without training or a license.
Some Democrats and advocates are now pushing for a constitutional amendment to put gun safety regulations into law.
Follow Statehouse and Columbus bureau reporter Morgan Trau on X, Instagram and Facebook. Email her at Morgan.Trau@wews.com.
