Karen Kasler
Bureau ChiefContact Karen at 614-578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.
Karen Kasler grew up in Lancaster, attended Otterbein College in Westerville, and found her professional break at WCBE-FM in Columbus. Karen was selected as a Fellow in the Kiplinger Master's Degree Program for Mid-Career Journalists at Ohio State University in 1994. She worked at WTVN-AM and WBNS-TV, both in Columbus, then for eight years was the afternoon drive anchor and assignment editor for WTAM-AM, Cleveland.
Since returning to Columbus in 2004, Karen has covered major elections and the controversies surrounding them. She served as moderator for the Ohio Debate Commission's Republican US Senate debate in 2022, its Supreme Court debate in 2020 and its gubernatorial debate in 2018. In addition to other election-related debates, she's led forums on statewide issues including redistricting, tax policy, drug sentencing, marijuana legalization and the collective bargaining law known as Senate Bill 5.
She's produced features for NPR and "Marketplace", and has been interviewed by NPR, the BBC, CBS, NBC, Radio New Zealand and stations around the country. She's a regular panelist on ideastream's "The Sound of Ideas" and a frequent guest on WOSU-TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, WOSU-FM's "All Sides with Anna Staver" and WVXU's "Cincinnati Edition".
Karen has been honored by the Cleveland Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Capitol Editors and Reporters, and holds a National Headliner Award. She's won several awards from the Ohio AP, and is a four-time winner of the AP's Best Broadcast Writing award. She's a three-time Emmy nominee for "The State of Ohio". She's a past president of the Ohio Associated Press and has served on the Board of Directors for the Central Ohio Society of Professional Journalists. Karen is also a former adjunct professor at Capital University in Columbus.
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Jane Timken will represent her Canton-area district in a seat that’s been open for two months. -
Attorney General Dave Yost is now in the race for the Republican nomination for Ohio governor next year, after weeks of teasing a coming campaign. -
A Republican-backed bill that sought to fight back against what conservatives view as liberal ideology in higher education in Ohio is back, as the sponsor promised it would be. -
More than a week after JD Vance resigned his U.S. Senate seat before his inauguration as vice president, Gov. Mike DeWine appointed his lieutenant governor Jon Husted to replace Vance. -
Former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling have been indicted on federal charges in connection with House Bill 6 nuclear power plant bailout scheme, the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history. -
Anduril Industries plans to create more than 4,000 jobs in the next decade and potential to add $2 billion per year to the state's economy. -
A political newcomer who had taken himself out of consideration for the US Senate seat held by VP-elect JD Vance apparently wants back in the pool of candidates for the appointment by Gov. Mike DeWine. -
Ohio is the 35th state to pass an anti-SLAPP statute, which supporters said protects free speech. -
Gov. Mike DeWine was asked about who he'd chosen to succeed JD Vance in the US Senate following a meeting with President Trump Thursday night. -
Vice president elect JD Vance will resign from his seat in the US Senate at midnight, as confirmed by the office of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who will appoint his replacement.
