Former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery came out Wednesday as strongly against Republican presidential nominee Betty Montgomery saying "I'm embarrassed, I'm ashamed."

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Former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery came out Wednesday as strongly against Republican presidential nominee Betty Montgomery saying "I'm embarrassed, I'm ashamed."

What else she said: "I'm not abandoning my party," the Republican who served as a delegate in Cleveland told Dispatch Washington reporter Jessica Wehrman. "But at some point, the safety and security of your country and its place in the world is more important than party."

What's happening: "Montgomery's comments came on the same day that senior Ohio Republicans were examining how they would replace Trump should he choose to drop out of the race. They tentatively concluded that the national party would have to call a new nominating convention to change the rules and allow delegates bound to Trump to vote for another candidate," Wehrman writes.

"One top Republican who spoke on condition of not being identified said 'he'd rather drop out than get clobbered.'"

About the possibility of Trump dropping out: While Trump has not indicated plans to do so ABC's Jonthan Karl reports "that senior party officials are so frustrated - and confused - by Donald Trump's erratic behavior that they are exploring how to replace him on the ballot if he drops out."

To be clear: There are no signs from the Trump campaign that he plans to drop out and during an event in FloridaWednesday, he said the GOP was more united than ever.

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Nina Turner speaks out: Former state senator Nina Turner is talking about the Democratic National Convention, her support of Bernie Sanders and why she chose not to be on the Green Party ticket, according to Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow.

About the convention: "This kind of nice, neat Hollywood package of unity was not what Philly was about. It was about protest and promise … I will continue to push the party to be everything it can be," Turner told Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow.

About about her part: "I'm a lifelong Democrat and I take great pride in that. But, really, it's the values of the Democratic Party I'm fighting for. So, I am a dedicated dissenter within the Democratic Party."

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W lends a hand to Portman, talks concerns: "George W. Bush didn't mention Donald Trump by name while speaking at a private event in Cincinnati on Tuesday, but the former president made clear his concerns about the Republican presidential nominee," Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Jason Williams writes.

"Bush specifically mentioned 'isolationism,' 'nativism' and 'protectionism,' according to multiple sources in attendance. Trump has promoted those 'isms' during his campaign – ending some of America's foreign partnerships ('isolationism'), keeping Muslim immigrants out of the U.S. to protect citizens ('nativism') and eliminating some foreign trade deals ('protectionism')."

Bush was at a private fundraising event for Sen. Rob Portman, who is in a tight reelection race with Democrat and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

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On the countdown: 96 days until the general election.

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The saga of ECOT records continues: "Online charter-school giant ECOT says the state can't base its funding on records showing how much time students log in for online classwork because they don't show the work students do offline," Dispatch reporters Bill Bush and Jim Siegel write.

"But ECOT has consistently told the state auditor that log books and teacher grade books that would document offline student work don't exist. State auditors have had to rely on signed certification forms from teachers that say students have been offered at least 920 hours of 'educational opportunities.'"

Reminder: Earlier this week, a judge ordered ECOT to turn over attendance records to the state. ECOT officials said they would do so by the end of the week.

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Voting issues: "While he doesn't quite share Donald Trump's sentiment that the election system is "rigged," Subodh Chandra says the proof is indisputable that thousands of Ohioans have improperly had legitimate votes discarded," Dispatch Public Affairs Editor Darrel Rowland writes.

"And the Cleveland lawyer whose lawsuit against the state is being heard by a federal appeals court panel today contends Ohio's voting rules discriminate against minorities."

A word from the state: "Despite the lies and scare tactics employed by the 'chicken little' crowd, the facts are clear, voting in Ohio is easy and fair. We vote for a month in Ohio, they vote for one day in Hillary Clinton's New York, he should go sue them and stop wasting Ohio tax dollars," said Matt McClellan, communications director for Secretary of State Jon Husted.

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Of note: "Former Congress member Steve LaTourette, known for his moderate brand of Republican politics and his irreverent brand of humor, died Wednesday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 62," cleveland.com's Sabrina Eaton writes.

Although the Cleveland-area Republicans "was sufficiently frustrated with Congress at the start of his service to publicly say his job 'sucks,' he ended up breaking a term-limits pledge and staying in office for 18 years, retiring in 2013 after expressing despair with partisan gridlock."

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Another one to watch in 2018: "He says his first focus is picking up Senate seats this year, but Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni also is laying the groundwork for a 2018 statewide run, possibly for governor," Dispatch reporter Jim Siegel writes.

"Schiavoni, 36, of Boardman, said he's been working the state, going to Democratic picnics and other events. Now, he said, Hillary Clinton's campaign is going to have him do surrogate work."

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And happening in Columbus: "A ballot initiative that would have expanded Columbus City Council and delegated most of the seats to ward representatives failed Tuesday in nearly 95 percent of city precincts," Dispatch reporter Rick Rouan writes.

"The few clusters where the measure passed were scattered in a handful of neighborhoods across the city, including the University District, Franklinton and the Hilltop."

Despite the loss: "Ward representation on the council isn't entirely dead. City officials say the idea will be considered by a charter-review commission that must deliver recommendations to the council and Mayor Andrew J. Ginther by February," Rouan writes.

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meverhart@dispatch.com

@meverhart26