COLUMBUS – Former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel launched his U.S. Senate campaign on the premise that he was former President Donald Trump's No. 1 ally in Ohio.
Mandel, the first Republican to throw his hat in the ring to replace Sen. Rob Portman, is expected to face a heated GOP primary that tests each candidate's allegiance to Trump in a state the former president won by 8 percentage points, twice. Former Ohio Republican Party leader Jane Timken, U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson and other pro-Trump candidates are considering bids.
"I've been President Trump's No. 1 ally in the state," Mandel said of his Trump credentials. "I've been proud to carry the Trump banner when others were hiding in the closet and I've showed a willingness to take on leaders of my party when it means standing up for conservative values."