Big night for America First in Ohio, Indiana; Trump-endorsed candidates run the table

Analysis by WorldTribune Staff, May 4, 2022

Candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump ran the table in Republican primaries in Ohio and Indiana on May 3.

The Trump-backed candidates racked up 22 wins. There were no losses in what was a huge night for the America First movement.

J.D. Vance gained huge momentum after being endorsed by Donald Trump in the GOP primary for an Ohio U.S. Senate seat.

J.D. Vance’s victory in the Ohio Republican Senate primary was seen as one of the biggest triumphs as Vance had been polling third or lower in the primary until he snagged Trump’s endorsement.

In Tuesday’s primary, Vance, the author of “Hillbilly Elegy”, defeated former state Treasurer Josh Mandel, former state GOP Chair Jane Timken, investment banker Mike Gibbons, and state Sen. Matt Dolan. Vance will face Rep. Tim Ryan, who won Tuesday’s Democrat Senate primary.

Trump spokeswoman Liz Harrington said endorsing Vance was not an easy decision for Trump.

“This was a tough decision,” Harrington told Just the News on Tuesday. “You know, President Trump was watching this race for a while, but he weighs his endorsement. He wants to use it very wisely, and he saw something in J.D. that he thinks once he gets to Washington, because he will win the general election if he gets through this primary, he’ll actually be a fighter for ‘America First’ values. And he’s not just going to pick who’s the easiest person to pick, who might be on paper the most MAGA candidate. He weighs a lot of things.”

Harrington added that Trump s “going to be busy fighting for his candidates because we’ve got to make a real change come November. We just have to; our country’s slipping away. We need strong ‘America First’ candidates in Washington to actually turn it around.”

Steve Bannon’s War Room noted in a tweet that, following the March primary in Texas and Tuesday’s Ohio and Indiana primaries, Trump-endorsed candidates have wracked up 55 wins against zero losses.

“The power of President Trump’s endorsement is undeniable, his dominance over the Republican power brokers in D.C. cannot be overstated, and the promise of this MAGA Movement will not just define the Midterms, but it will win for years to come,” Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich told Fox News.

Here’s a look at the 22 Trump-endorsed candidate to win on Tuesday:

Ohio

U.S. Senate — J.D. Vance won with 32.2% of the vote over six other GOP candidates.

Secretary of State — Frank LaRose won with 65 percent of the vote.

Attorney General — Dave Yost, unopposed.

Treasurer — Robert Sprague, unopposed.

Auditor — Keith Faber, unopposed.

House District 1 — Steve Chabot, unopposed.

House District 2 — Brad Wenstrup won with 78 percent of the vote.

House District 4 — Jim Jordan, unopposed.

House District 5 — Robert Latta, unopposed.

House District 6 — Bill Johnson won with 77 percent of the vote.

House District 7 — Max Miller, a former Trump aide, won with 72 percent of the vote.

House District 8 — Warren Davidson won won with 71 percent of the vote.

House District 10 — Michael Turner, unopposed.

House District 12 — Troy Balderson won with 82 percent of the vote.

House District 13 — Madison Gesiotto Gilbert, who served as co-chair of the Women for Trump advisory board, won with 29 percent of the vote.

House District 15 — Mike Carey, unopposed. Carey received Trump’s endorsement last year during a special election to replace Republican Rep. Steve Stivers. As Trump noted, “With my endorsement, Mike resoundingly won his special election last year.”

Indiana

House District 2 — Jackie Walorski, unopposed.

House District 3 — Jim Banks, head of the Republican Study Committee, the House GOP’s largest caucus, unopposed.

House District 4 — James Baird, unopposed.

House District 5 — Victoria Spartz, unopposed.

House District 6 — Greg Pence, brother of former Vice President Mike Pence, won with 78 percent of the vote. While making no mention of his former veep, Trump said Greg Pence “is working hard to reverse Joe Biden’s disastrous record of out-of-control Inflation and restore the respect our Country deserves from abroad. He is Strong on the Border, Protects Life, Defends the Second Amendment, and Supports our brave Military and Vets.”

House District 8 — Larry Bucshon, unopposed.


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