Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed Josh Mandel in the highly competitive Ohio Senate Republican primary on Monday.
Cruz hailed Mandel as a “proven fighter” against the Democrats and a champion of conservative causes, issuing a highly coveted endorsement in a primary that has often been dominated by forceful appeals to the Republican base.
“As our nation faces crisis after crisis under Joe Biden, our country needs conservative fighters to stand up to the radical Democrats who want to exploit these problems to deliver socialism to America. That’s why I am supporting Josh Mandel for U.S. Senate,” Cruz said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
The endorsement comes at a time when polls have tightened between Mandel, a former state treasurer who was once the clear front-runner, and Mike Gibbons, a businessman. A RealClearPolitics polling aggregate of the race has Gibbons up by 1.3 percentage points over Mandel. The primary is currently slated to take place on May 3.
“Having Senator Cruz’s support shows that he believes I am the only candidate in this U.S. Senate race who will have the backbone and courage to stand up alongside him in Washington and take on the party bosses, left-wing media, and powerful lobbyists,” Mandel said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “When I get to the Senate, I look forward to serving as a reinforcement for Senator Cruz as we stand up to Joe Biden and work to defeat the far-left’s radical agenda.”
LEADING REPUBLICANS VYING TO BECOME OHIO’S NEXT SENATOR SPAR OVER ABORTION
Three weeks ago, Mandel and Gibbons had a heated face-to-face exchange during a candidate forum and nearly came to blows. The two have been jostling to lock down the conservative base, accusing each other of conservative blasphemy on issues such as abortion, and touting their fealty to former President Donald Trump.
Cruz is the most conservative member of the Senate, according to GovTrack. Mandel’s campaign is hoping that Cruz’s endorsement can help bolster his appeal to Republican voters as the primary season enters its final stretch.
“A United States Marine, Josh is a proven fighter for our American way of life, a champion for the unborn, and a stalwart advocate for our religious liberties. I am proud to endorse Josh Mandel for U.S. Senate, and I ask every conservative in Ohio to do the same,” Cruz added.
Looming over the race has been Trump’s silence. Despite being a frequent topic of discussion among the candidates, the former president has so far declined to make an endorsement.
Sen. Rob Portman, who currently holds the seat and declined to run for reelection, endorsed Jane Timken, the former chairwoman of the Ohio Republican Party, in February. Timken is currently trailing Mandel and Gibbons in the RealClearPolitics aggregate.
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Dates for elections in Ohio have been subject to some uncertainty amid redistricting court battles. Late last month, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose directed election boards to remove state Legislature candidates from ballots due to state Legislature maps being struck down in court. Although Senate races are statewide contests, the state might consider delaying the primary date if other races face delays due to redistricting legal snafus.
A Fox News poll released last month that surveyed 918 primary voters found 24% of respondents were undecided in the race. The poll was conducted between March 2-5 and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
