Nearly three dozen Republican officials in Ohio are pleading with former President Donald Trump to reconsider his reported planned endorsement of author J.D. Vance in the Ohio Senate GOP primary.
The party officials cited Vance’s past bashing of Trump and expressed concerns about his viability in the general election in a letter to the former president obtained by the Washington Examiner.
“While we were working hard in Ohio to support you and Make America Great Again, JD Vance was actively working against your candidacy. He referred to your supporters as ‘racists’ and proudly voted for Evan McMullin in 2016,” the letter read. “With only a few short weeks until Election Day, an endorsement that cuts against your support and legacy in Ohio will only serve to confuse or upset voters.”
TRUMP PLANS TO ENDORSE JD VANCE IN CONTENTIOUS OHIO SENATE GOP PRIMARY: REPORT
The letter has been circulated by Remington Research, a polling firm with connections to Vance’s rival GOP contender, Josh Mandel, according to Politico. Not all of the Republican officials who signed the letter issued endorsements in the primary, but they are unified in their opposition to Vance, the letter contended. The letter also highlighted a number of anti-Trump comments Vance made, particularly during the 2016 election cycle.
“What Trump is, is another opioid,” the letter quoted Vance as saying.
“Trump’s actual policy proposals, such as they are, range from immoral to absurd,” another quote read.
Vance has since renounced his criticisms of Trump and become a full-throated supporter of the former president.
“Like a lot of people, I criticized Trump back in 2016,” Vance told Fox News last year. “I ask folks not to judge me based on what I said in 2016 because I’ve been very open that I did say those critical things, and I regret them, and I regret being wrong about the guy. I think he was a good president.”
An earlier version of the letter obtained by Politico was reported to include a signature from Tony Schroeder, the chairman of the Putnam County Republican Party. Schroeder has since denied that he signed the letter. The version of the letter obtained by the Washington Examiner did not contain Schroeder’s signature.
Trump has not made the endorsement official yet and reportedly has concerns about Vance’s criticisms of him and his electoral prospects, NBC reported. But he has been calling up donors and advisers to gauge their thoughts on a Vance endorsement and plans to issue the endorsement, according to the outlet.
Candidates in the race have actively courted Trump’s coveted backing and touted their pro-Trump bona fides throughout the campaign season. His presence has loomed large over the crowded race, given strong enthusiasm for Trump among voters in the Ohio GOP primary.
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Vance has lagged behind his rivals in most polling, currently sitting in third place in the RealClearPolitics aggregate of polling in the race, behind Mandel and businessman Mike Gibbons. A Trump endorsement would propel him to a three-way tie for second place with 15% support but behind Mandel at 19%, according to recent polling.
Trump is scheduled to host a rally in Ohio on April 23 and may make his support of Vance public at that event. The primary election will take place on May 3.
