Ohio’s U.S. Senate race this fall is expected to be one of the most expensive in the country and to have Donald Trump’s name all over it. As soon as Republican Congressman Jim Renacci was declared the winner of the GOP nomination last night, the battle against Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown began.
Among the first to arrive for Renacci’s election night party were Mario Innocenzi and Mark Smith of Bikers for Trump.
Renacci was the endorsed Trump candidate in the GOP primary race among five candidates. And when he took the stage to celebrate wining the GOP nomination, Renacci insisted Ohio is firmly in the president’s corner.
“Ohio is a Trump state, Ohio is going to move forward with the Trump agenda, and Ohio is going to get anybody that’s an obstacle, including Sen. Brown, out of the way,” Renacci said.
Renacci acknowledged Brown’s position is close to Trump’s on trade tariffs. But he said he’s a more reliable partner with the president.
“People want to say that he’s aligned himself, but Sherrod’s not been helpful at all with this administration," Renacci said. "He didn’t vote for the tax cut and jobs plan, he’s not voting for nominations, he’s not voting for things that move the agenda forward.”
Among those Renacci beat in Tuesday’s GOP primary is Cleveland businessman Mike Gibbons, who sued Renacci saying he falsely portrayed Gibbons as a liberal. Renacci says he believes they’ll unite now.
