Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Oct. 26, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here.

Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio news you need to know right to your inbox every weekday morning.

If you already subscribe, please share with your family and friends so they know about the Ohio Capital Journal too: https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/subscribe/

Catching Our Eye

• Republicans for socialists? CNN’ reports, “Conservatives funded efforts to undercut Sherrod Brown with Black voters in Ohio, filing shows.”

A mysterious group that has spent at least $2 million boosting a little-known socialist candidate in Ohio’s highly competitive Senate race is being funded by Republicans, according to a new campaign finance filing.

Enough Promises Ohio has poured money into ads and mailers that criticize Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown, including messaging seeking to undercut his standing with Black voters, and back independent candidate Greg Levy, who denies any connection the group.

• Justice Department targets Ohio State. WCMH’s Katie Millard reports, “Justice Department says Ohio State discriminated based on race in medical school admissions.”

The Department of Justice alleged Ohio State University’s College of Medicine discriminated against white and Asian students when granting admissions for three consecutive years.

The Justice Department opened an investigation into the College of Medicine in March, examining claims that white and Asian students were discriminated based on their race in admitting the 2023, 2024 and 2025 incoming classes. On Wednesday, it concluded OSU Medicine had violated racial discrimination law. An Ohio State spokesperson said the university “strongly disagrees with the findings.”

• Trump’s golf courses. Forbes reports, “Trump’s Golf Empire Is A Billion-Dollar Tax Shelter.”

For decades, the president has claimed charitable deductions on golf courses he never gave away. Now, facing one of the most significant tax bills of his life, he’s pushing the scheme even further—and appears to be using the presidency to get away with it.