This morning, Fox & Friends pushed the claim that Ohio's Republican Governor John Kasich is responsible for the state's recent job growth, and that President Obama deserves no credit for the growth. In reality, thousands of jobs were added and the unemployment rate began to drop in 2010, well before Kasich took office in January 2011.
Co-host Steve Doocy interviewed Ohio Treasurer and Republican Senate candidate Josh Mandel to explain “who gets the credit” for Ohio's improving economy. Mandel credited Kasich's leadership. During the segment, Fox aired graphics saying that 123,000 jobs were created in Ohio since Kasich took office in January 2011.
But the employment situation was already improving in Ohio before Kasich ever began his term. Unemployment dropped from 10.6 percent in January 2010 to 9 percent in January 2011. Employment also grew by more than 56,000 jobs between January 2010 and 2011.
Additionally, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (informally known as the stimulus bill) has created or saved an estimated 234,000 jobs in Ohio since it was passed in 2009.