Former Rep. Jim Renacci announced a bid to challenge Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in next year’s Republican gubernatorial primary.
Renacci, a wealthy businessman elected to represent Ohio’s 16th Congressional District in 2010, likened DeWine to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over his stringent lockdown protocols during the coronavirus pandemic. He also praised former President Donald Trump, railing against DeWine’s supposed ties to the “establishment.”
“Mike DeWine is a career politician,” Renacci said in his campaign announcement on Wednesday. “He’s been campaigning since the Jimmy Carter-era. He was handpicked by the established to be governor. The insiders who installed him knew the deal. He works for them, not for you.”
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“DeWine’s failures have hurt Ohio: corruption, indictments … then COVID happened and he made a choice to rule like Andrew Cuomo, instead of leading like President Trump. DeWine represented fear over freedom,” he added. “He cost Ohio big time. So many jobs are gone, local businesses perished — shut down.”
Enough is enough with Ohio’s wannabe Cuomo, Mike DeWine. Now is the time to put a conservative leader in charge. It’s time to make the people of this great state a priority. https://t.co/iRxp7Y1iiP pic.twitter.com/VXfMgikRjn
— Jim Renacci (@JimRenacci) June 9, 2021
Renacci initially intended to run for governor in 2018, though he withdrew his bid and opted to run for a Senate seat with backing from Trump. He later lost to incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown by more than 6 points.
The former representative has vowed to make Ohio a Second Amendment sanctuary and has called for “full tax reform” in the state, his campaign website states. He has also called to eliminate critical race theory curriculum in schools and vowed to wipe out corruption in state politics.
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“Pro Police, Pro Law and Order, Pro Second Amendment, Pro Taxpayer, Pro Life, Pro Family, Pro Business,” he wrote in a Tuesday tweet. “Ohio First means America First!”
DeWine’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.
