Former President Donald Trump shook up the Republican primary for Ohio's open U.S. Senate seat when he threw his support behind someone who once called him difficult to stomach: "Hillbilly Elegy" author J.D. Vance.
The long-awaited endorsem*nt was seen as a key to victory in a state that Trump won by 8 percentage points in 2020 and in 2016. And for some voters who attended Trump's rally for Vance last week near Columbus, thenod was enough to sell them.
But interviews with voters across the state– before and after Trump announced his decision– showed an electorate divided over candidates who spent months pepperingtheir televisions with ads before the May 3 primary. The winner of Tuesday's primary will vie for the chance to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman, an election that could define Ohio's GOP politics for years to come.
Facing offa*gainst Vance are former state Treasurer Josh Mandel, former Ohio Republican Party chair Jane Timken, investment banker Mike Gibbons, state Sen. Matt Dolan and businessmen Mark Pukita and Neil Patel.
In the fall, the winner of the GOP race will face the winner of the Democratic primary between U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, Morgan Harper andTraci Johnson.
Narrowing such a crowded field was difficult for some voters. Brenda Keller, of Lima, said she settled on three potential candidates and made her final decision the day she cast an early ballot. She declined to say for whom she voted, but she did take issue with how much somecampaigns have attacked one another.
Ultimately, though, she thinks Republicans have more than one strong contender to consider for the nomination.
"It’s one thing to criticize another candidate. Anybody can do that," Keller said."Do you actually have some plans yourself of how you’re going to function in that role?"
To Vance or not to Vance
At the Delaware County rally April 23, Trump praised Vance as the best chance for Ohio Republicans to keep the Senate seat while acknowledging the venture capitalist was critical of him in 2016.Most recently, a former roommate of Vance’s published messages from that year in which Vance pondered whetherTrump is "America’s Hitler."
"I studied this very closely," Trump said. "I like a lot of the other people in the race. I liked them a lot. But we have to pick the one that’s going to win. This guy is tough as hell. He’s going win."
Some Republicans aren't convinced.
"I don't understand why Trump supported (Vance)," said Steve Hall, chairman of theCoshocton County Republican Central Committee."It's just dumbfounded a lot of people."
Vance has supporters who contend he's up front and more polished than some of his opponents.Jordan Schroeder, of Leipsic in Putnam County, said Vance's position on Trump shows he's capable of critical thinking while being "humble enough" to change his mind. Schroeder also commended Vance for not backing down when he was criticized for saying the U.S. should stay out of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
As for other Republicans?Schroeder said he was unsure what would eventually sway their decision.
"The Republican Party isn’t as cultish or hive mind ... because of that free thinking, at times like this it keeps us from consolidating around a single candidate," he said.
Divided loyalties ahead of GOP primary
Reliable polling in the GOP primary has been limited, with much of it coming from the campaigns themselves.
An independent surveyconducted before Trump backed Vancehad Mandel ahead of Vance by nearly6 percentage points. A Trump-aligned pollsterreleased a survey after the endorsem*nt showing Vance in first place, but it also foundnearly half of GOP primary voters were not aware of the former president's position.
An independent poll published Tuesdaysuggested Dolan was leading the pack, and another from Fox News released the same day had Vance on top.
Thepolls have one thing in common, though:They indicate some voters are still undecided. At this point, observers say, this group will likely coalesce around Vance or choose not to support anyone.
"If Vance does win, the full credit for his victory lies on the endorsem*nt of President Trump," said Mike Hartley, a GOP strategist based in Ohio.
Those who did settle on a candidate did so for varying reasons. Bill Schearer, of Delaware County, voted for Timken largely because he doesn't "trust the other ones." Columbus resident Jan Satolasaid he appreciated Mandel's intensity and determination to "make a difference in this country." Rick Luman, a Zanesville voter, supportedGibbons because he's a businessman– not a politician– and appears to care for the "common man."
Bryan Moore, of Liberty Township in Butler County, struggled with his decision but ultimately cast his ballot for Dolan.
"I tried to find a candidate closer to the middle," Moore said."It seems like that’s hard to do with both parties these days."
In the final days before Tuesday's primary, some Republicans are still listening and learning. Attendees ofSaturday's Trump rally said his endorsem*nt of Vance is noteworthy, but they still wanted to do their own homework.
And then there are people like West Chester residentPam Ingalls, who voted in other GOP primariesbut stayed out of the Senate race. She said she'snot hearing enough from those candidates about the issues she cares about: Ukraine and the economy.
"I didn’t like any of the candidates," Ingallssaid. "I don’t care about what they care about."
Haley BeMilleris a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
Erin Glynn is the watchdogreporter for Butler, Warren and Clermont counties through the Report For America program. Send her a note at eglynn@enquirer.com and follow her on Twitter at @ee_glynn.
Erin Couch is a reporter for the Zanesville Times Recorder. She can be reached at ecouch@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @couchreporting.
