Ohio’s crowded Republican Senate primary grew more contentious Friday evening as candidates continued to jockey for an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
In recent weeks, investment banker Mike Gibbons has climbed to the top of polls, above Josh Mandel, a former state treasurer and an early front-runner, author J.D. Vance, former Ohio GOP Chairwoman Jane Timken, and Matt Dolan, a state senator and part owner of the Cleveland Guardians.
JOSH MANDEL AND MIKE GIBBONS NEARLY COME TO BLOWS AT OHIO CANDIDATE FORUM
Some of the tensions in the race were visible at a GOP candidate forum organized by FreedomWorks on Friday. Mandel frequently singled out Gibbons, with the debate turning into an argument at one point. Mandel alleged that Gibbons made “billions of dollars” in business deals and stocks in China, claims Gibbons disputed by saying Mandel “never worked in the private sector.” Mandel got in Gibbons’s face, saying he has worked and served two tours in Iraq.
Vance mocked Mandel’s conduct after the two rivals were separated by the moderator. Mandel had mentioned Gibbons so many times during the forum that by its conclusion, he was booed by those in attendance whenever the latter’s name was uttered.
Trump has yet to make an endorsement in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Rob Portman, leaving the candidates to court that endorsement by making overtures to their loyalty to Trump.
Mandel did so by appealing to Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of a stolen 2020 election.
“I believe this election was stolen from Donald J. Trump,” Mandel said.
Vance, who has underperformed some expectations for his candidacy, criticized Mandel’s conduct and argued that senators should be “statesmen.” Vance argued that his rivals didn’t provide details for how they would approach some of the hot-button issues they discussed, such as the alleged social media censorship of conservatives.
In a nod to his own dip in the polls, Vance, in his closing statement pitching his website, told those in attendance, “I need all the help I can get.”
Gibbons, meanwhile, cast himself as the front-runner in the race, telling voters his wealth is self-made and arguing he knows how to create jobs — claiming he would be “the only U.S. senator who could finish your driveway.”
Ohio GOP Senate debate is lit. Mike Gibbons and Josh Mandel may get into a fist fight. pic.twitter.com/ojWxjt56H8
— Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) March 18, 2022
.@FreedomWorks Ohio senate forum getting HEATED between Mike Gibbons and Josh Mandel! #OHpol #OhioSenate #ampFW pic.twitter.com/ZRueWFQ05k
— Peter Vicenzi (@PeterVicenzi) March 18, 2022
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, FreedomWorks President Adam Brandon said the organization “was proud to host a successful Ohio Senate Forum in Gahanna this evening.”
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“The people of Ohio deserve to hear from the candidates themselves, which is exactly what happened here,” Brandon said. “Based on the fact we were over capacity with more than 400 attendees, there is clearly strong grassroots energy in this race. And as we all know well, it is the grassroots that is kingmaker. We came here to start a conversation. That’s exactly what we had, and more.”
