Republicans in Ohio will vote on Tuesday for their candidate for the U.S. Senate later this year, in a tight race seen as a test for former US president Donald. Trump continues to hold the party.
JD Vance, author and venture capitalist, who is backed by Trump, held the lead narrowly ahead of election day. On Monday, politics is clear indeed voted showing Vance close in front of 26%, former state treasurer Josh Mandel 22.5%, Matt Dolan 21.5% and Mike Gibbons 15%.
Polls show these four candidates, out of seven in total, have a realistic chance of winning the Ohio primaries, which will determine who goes on to enter the race to become the primary. become a state senator later this year.
The campaign raged last year when Rob Portman, the incumbent Republican senator, announced he would not run for re-election.
If Vance wins, experts predict that will be seen as a sign that the former president continues to hold power over the party and its voters, especially as Vance lags behind in the polls for until approved. But if he loses, Trump’s opponents are likely to embrace it as proof that the former president is no longer a surefire king.
“This is the first major race that has Trump endorsement,” said Jessica Taylor, an analyst at the Cook Political Report. He made a risky pick with JD Vance, and this is a test of whether his endorsement can change a race.”
Vance, who criticized Trump in 2016 as an “idiot” and personally compared him to Adolf Hitler, spent the final days of the election campaign highlighting his credentials as the former president’s choice. system.
He appeared on the campaign road along with two of Trump’s most prominent and controversial supporters in Congress: Marjorie Taylor Greene, who previously promoted conspiracy theory and Matt Gaetz, who is under investigation possible sex trafficking of minors.
Even so, Trump’s support sometimes appears to be shaken. Last weekend, the former president mistakenly named Vance during a protest speech, telling supporters: “We confirmed – JP, right? JD Mandel, and he’s doing great. ”
Still, Mandel went to great lengths to declare himself Trump’s natural political heir, telling Fox News on Monday: “There’s no one as leading on America First policies in Ohio as I am in Ohio. yes.”
By contrast, Dolan appears to have benefited from being the only Republican in the race to separate himself from the former president, having jumped from 6% three weeks ago to become one of the contenders. favorite. Dolan, a state senator, refused to support Trump’s claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against him and, in return, Trump said that Dolan was the only candidate he had. no return.
“Even when Trump’s candidacy lost, almost all of them managed to get as close as possible to him,” Taylor said. “The only one who doesn’t, and winning would be a huge blow to Trump, is Dolan.”
