Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) found himself at the center of a MAGA-inspired revolt over his push to raise taxes on sports betting – even triggering the president’s son to angrily weigh in on Thursday.
DeWine, who is reviving a plan to hike Ohio’s sports gaming tax, says the revenue would go toward funding future stadiums and youth sports programs, according to local media reports. But some of President Donald Trump’s allies say the proposal is a betrayal of the MAGA leader’s agenda.
“While my dad is trying to cut taxes for Americans, why is a REPUBLICAN Governor trying to raise taxes?” Donald Trump Jr. bemoaned in an X post.
MAGA influencer Jack Poso also slammed the Ohio Republican’s plan.
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“RINO Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's plan to raise taxes on sports betting to force taxpayers to pay for a new sports stadium is nothing more than government cronyism on the back of the working-class,” Poso wrote on X. “Why can't billionaire team owners pay for their own stadiums?”
“Mike DeWine brought Haitians to Springfield. He wants to raise taxes. He may have an “R” next to his name, but his actions are “D,” the pro-Trump account MAGA Wife told her X followers.
Gabe Guidarini, president of the University of Dayton College Republicans, urged the Ohio Senate to reject DeWine’s tax plan, which he called “misguided” and “incredibly disheartening.”
“I’m deeply concerned about Governor Mike DeWine’s proposed tax hike on sports gaming — a plan that feels like a targeted attack on young people, particularly those of us working hard to build our futures,” Guidarini wrote in an op-ed in the Dayton Daily News.
While my dad is trying to cut taxes for Americans, why is a REPUBLICAN Governor trying to raise taxes? https://t.co/bUUVatNSXG
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 15, 2025