"More than three times as many Democrats became Republicans in Ohio's primary as vice versa, newly released figures from the secretary of state's office show," Dispatch Public Affairs Editor Darrel Rowland writes. "It's yet another phenomenon of how Donald Trump is turning the 2016 election upside down."

Want to know what�s happening in Ohio government and politics from Columbus to Washington, D.C.? The Columbus Dispatch has you covered.

The crossover vote: �More than three times as many Democrats became Republicans in Ohio�s primary as vice versa, newly released figures from the secretary of state�s office show,� Dispatch Public Affairs Editor Darrel Rowland writes. �It�s yet another phenomenon of how Donald Trump is turning the 2016 election upside down.�

By the numbers: �Ohio Republican Chairman Matt Borges noted that state GOP rolls swelled by nearly a million, putting the party's registration at more than 2.2 million. That compares with 1.4 million for Democrats � 630,000 more than before the primary � marking one of the biggest gaps in modern Ohio history. About 115,000 of the new Republicans had been Democrats while fewer than 35,000 Republicans became Democrats,� Rowland writes.

What that means for Republicans: Borges said now the Republicans have data on thousands of more voters, meaning they can market GOP candidates to more people.

What the Democrats said: "Obviously, Donald Trump is sounding more like a Democrat than a Republican on trade. That might appeal to some,� Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper said. "As Democrats, we must talk to that part of state about plans to lift places like that ... and make it clear that Donald Trump�s plans aren�t going to help.�

And for the general election: �This geography and the demography behind it is likely to be an asset to Trump,� said veteran political scientist John Green of the University of Akron. �The key is whether he turns off base Republican voters, such as upper status, older suburban women.�

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More money being spent on the Senate race: �A key Democratic outside group is reserving nearly $10 million for election ads in the battleground state of Ohio, hoping to overcome a massive spending spree by GOP Sen. Rob Portman,� Politico�s Burgess Everett writes. �Senate Majority PAC is reserving $9.5 million in airtime aimed at ousting Portman and aiding Democrat Ted Strickland, pushing the total money committed there to more than $50 million."

Reminder: Portman�s campaign has already reserved $15 million in airtime, starting in June.

Meanwhile: Robert Farley of FactCheck.org said ads against Strickland run by Portman super PAC are misleading.

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When sports and politics meet: "Since taking over the Buckeyes in 2012, (Ohio State football coach Urbana) Meyer has exposed his football players in the off-season to Wednesday sessions in which guests, usually from outside football, speak on real-life subjects, covering running a business and the basics of investing and such. But next week is going to be different," Dispatch reporter Tim May writes. "With Memorial Day coming up and in the midst of a remarkable presidential election campaign, Meyer has something special planned. He wants his players to appreciate not just the wars that were fought to maintain freedom but also, for example, the sacrifices and leadership that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that made the ballot accessible to all, and to realize it�s the players' responsibility to be active, informed voters for whoever they choose."

What Meyer said: �Everywhere I go, everybody seems mesmerized by this coming election. I�m mesmerized by it as well. ... We�re asked to walk in those high school gyms and punch a ticket, and I know that for years my dad told me to 'vote this way.' That�s not what we�re supposed to do."

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On the countdown: 173 days until the general election.

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What Joe Biden said while in Columbus: The vice president was in town to announce new federal rules regarding salaried workers and overtime on Wednesday. The current threshold overtime is for those workers making $23,660 and less a year. Under the new rules, that will be almost doubled to $47,476, Dispatch reporter Jessica Wehrman writes.

Wehrman rode on Air Force Two and snagged an interview with Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez ahead of the event. You can see it on our Dispatch Politics Facebook page as well as video from the announcement.

What Biden said: Announcing the new overtime rule is �genuinely consequential,� Biden said in his announcement at Jeni�s Splendid Ice Creams in Downtown Columbus, saying it �goes to the heart� of what he and Obama think is �the defining issue of our time � and that is restoring and expanding the middle class.�

What those against the new rule said: �Here we go again with another attempt by the Obama administration to sugarcoat a burdensome regulation that will hurt job creators� ability to grow and succeed,� said Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Genoa Township. He said he�s heard from business owners in his district who �fear it will force them to cut hours and limit opportunities for their employees.�

And what does Biden think of the Clinton vs. Sanders race? �Let Bernie run the race,� he said.

He also said �There�s no fundamental split or anything in the Democratic Party.�

Who joined Biden? Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, was with the vice president and Strickland joined when the entourage showed up at the North Market.

�Have you met Sen. Strickland?� Biden asked a group of bystanders. �He will be Sen. Strickland.�

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The Statehouse passes a beer-lovers bill: �Beer fans got a legislative two-fer from the Statehouse on Wednesday,� Dispatch reporter Jim Siegel writes. �A bill allowing North Market customers to not only buy alcohol, but also drink it while visiting vendors or eating a meal there, got final House passage Wednesday. And, thanks to a Senate amendment, the bill also eliminates Ohio�s 12 percent limit on alcohol in beer, opening the state�s craft brewery market to new options.�

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And the medical marijuana bill gets some changes: �As it nears a potential vote next week on medical marijuana, the Senate today made a number of bill changes, including those that seek to speed up the implementation and give Ohioans immediate access to the drug,� Siegel writes. �The latest version of the bill, accepted in Senate committee on Wednesday, allows patients to obtain medical marijuana from out of state via prescription in forms legal under the bill, before the system is fully established in Ohio.�

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Kasich�s clean-up: �Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency are asking lawmakers to approve additional steps to help ensure clean water,� Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow writes. �Senate Bill 333 was introduced today with a host of changes that officials said will �protect Ohioans from acute threats to water quality, such as lead in drinking water systems or private water system owners who do not provide a dependable or safe water supply.'"

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Remember when? �In the midst of his U.S. Senate campaign, Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld promised to help Ohio's cities pass their own gun-control laws through a constitutional amendment,� Cincinnati Enquirer�s Jessie Balmert writes.

It seems it hasn�t quite progressed with no signatures turned into the Attorney General�s office.

"We felt it was important to make reducing gun violence a central issue in the Senate campaign, where it might otherwise have been neglected," Sittenfeld said. "It's a cause that I remain very committed to, and that's why we're sticking with this citizen-led constitutional amendment and bringing it to a point where national gun safety organizations can make a determination on if they want to invest in getting it to the ballot."

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Of note: You might not want to challenge Secretary of State Jon Husted to a push-up contest. During a recent meeting, Husted was caught on video doing push-ups, many one-armed.

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meverhart@dispatch.com

@meverhart26