In a press conference, Ohio governor John Kasich conceded tonight’s referendum on Senate Bill 5, which voters overwhelmingly rejected. “When you get beat, you have to admit it, and you have to congratulate and shake the hand of the folks who prevailed,” Kasich said. “It’s clear that the people have spoken.”

“I’ve heard their voices,” Kasich assured the press. “As a result of that, it requires me to take a deep breath and to spend some time reflecting on what happened here.” The governor reiterated that his priority was creating jobs and that he would not bail out municipalities whose budgets were in the red. Although he believed Senate Bill 5 would have given those municipalities the tools to fill their budget gaps, he promised, “We will continue to look for tools that will put them in a position of being able to control their costs.”