Ohio’s Republican U.S. senator has once again endorsed a candidate in this year’s race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown. As Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports, Sen. Rob Portman is siding with a colleague who just joined the race over the candidate who’s been in it for months.
In May, Portman endorsed Treasurer Josh Mandel.
“Today I’m encouraging all Republicans to unify behind Josh so we can work together.”
But a few days later, Cleveland banker Mike Gibbons jumped in. Gibbons looked like the leading candidate when Mandel abruptly quit the race earlier this month. But Portman has thrown his support behind Congressman Jim Renacci, who suddenly moved over from the race for governor.
Portman tweeted that Renacci “has a track record of success as a job creator and battle-tested conservative leader.”
All 10 of Renacci’s Republican colleagues in the Ohio Congressional delegation have also endorsed him. Gibbons hasn’t responded, other than to note he’s picked up endorsements from some local conservatives, including two former Mandel chairs.
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