Ohio Supreme Court's Pat Fischer launches 2026 bid to oust court's lone Democrat, Jennifer Brunner

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Ohio Supreme Court's Pat Fischer launches 2026 bid to oust court's lone Democrat, Jennifer Brunner

2025-05-29 02:24 Last Updated At：02:31

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Voters will again see two sitting Ohio Supreme Court justices pitted against each other in 2026, after Justice Pat Fischer announced a bid Wednesday to unseat Justice Jennifer Brunner with two years left on his current term.

The seven-member high court holds final sway over the fate of many state laws and constitutional issues, dealing with everything from abortion, religion and LGBTQ+ matters to schools, election administration and redistricting.

At 67, Fischer, a Republican, would be ineligible due to constitutional age limits from running by the time his six-term term expires in 2028. He said he’ll instead face off against the 68-year-old Brunner, the only justice up for reelection next year and Ohio’s only Democratic statewide officeholder.

The formula worked last year for Republican Justice Joe Deters, who was initially appointed to the court. Rather than run for the remainder of his existing term, he chose to run against incumbent Democratic Justice Melody Stewart and won. His decision created an open seat on the high court, one of two also won by Republicans — leaving Brunner as the court’s lone Democrat.

In his written announcement, Fischer described himself as “a reliable Christian Conservative.” He was first elected to the court in 2016 and was reelected in 2022.

“Ohioans deserve a Justice who will fight for Conservative values, respect the Constitution and not legislate from the bench,” he said. “I have a record of this and look forward to once again earning the support of the Ohio Republican Party and all Ohioans.”

Brunner, a former Ohio secretary of state who's served on the court since 2021, filed suit in 2023 against a new Republican-backed state law that requires certain judicial candidates to declare their party affiliation on ballots. The law was passed as the state was tilting increasingly Republican but as Ohio Democrats were having some success in high court races.

“In a Brunner vs. Fischer race the differences will be stark and obvious,” she said in a texted statement. “Party affiliation should be our last concern as judges. It's clear this is the primary aim in my colleague's approach — and that's unfortunate.”

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.