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Today, Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Reeves Oyster released the following statement on Warren Davidson and Ohio Republicans’ “family fight” for Ohio’s Senate seat.
 
“Ohio Republicans’ ‘family fight’ is already one of the messiest, most bruising primaries in the country. With candidates wasting no time attacking one another, it’s clear whoever emerges from this primary will be bruised, battered and out of touch with Ohioans.”
 
What you need to know on what’s already been called one of the “messiest, “most expensive” and “bruising” battles in the country: 

• Chronicle Telegram: GOP Senate Primary Will Be A Fight
   
• Bernie Moreno has taken consistent swipes at Matt Dolan and Frank LaRose – saying Dolan is “Democrat-light” and attacking LaRose for campaigning on the taxpayers’ dime. Moreno called Trump “the greatest president of my lifetime,” said that candidates who refuse to support Donald Trump should be “disqualified,” and has already secured Trump-loyalist J.D. Vance’s endorsement.
   
• Matt Dolan continues to be dogged by the field and Ohio’s conservative base for his record and lackluster support of the former President. 
   
• Frank LaRose has attacked Dolan and Moreno for trying to buy the election, boasted he would be the “strongest candidate” in the race, and returned fire on Moreno’s criticisms. LaRose was also caught downplaying Trump’s endorsement to Republican attendees at a closed-door event while criticizing Moreno.

See also: ICYMI: Expect a “Bloody Fight” in #OHSEN Republican Primary; Ron DeSantis Creates Chaos in Republicans’ #OHSEN “Family Fight;” J.D. Vance Escalates Ohio Republicans’ “Family Fight” With Endorsement; Donald Trump Looms While the Field Takes Heat; Frank LaRose Doubles Down on His Trump Problem, Jabs at Bernie Moreno *Again*; The Buckeye Battle Continues; Frank LaRose Goes On The Attack in Messy #OHSEN Primary; Jabs, Jabs, and More Jabs; Bernie Moreno, Warren Davidson Sling Mud as #OHSEN Republican Primary Heats Up; RINOs and Ethics Troubles and Country Club Republicans – Oh My!

It’s May, but Republicans’ “family fight” for Ohio’s Senate seat is getting more chaotic by the day and it’s only going to get nastier from here as more politicians and outside groups throw gasoline on the fire.
 

SPEAKING OF… J.D. VANCE ADMITS THIS PRIMARY WILL BE BRUTAL, ENDORSES BERNIE MORENO
 
J.D. Vance: “We’re going to have a very brutal primary in the State of Ohio, just like we did in 2022.” 
 
There’s no denying the direction this primary is headed and Vance’s endorsement “won’t scare others”from entering the fray. The field has already wasted no time attacking one another and the infighting will only get worse as candidates are forced to duke it out over new endorsements. 
 

 
RON DESANTIS MAKES IT OFFICIAL, CREATES CHAOS IN #OHSEN AS FAULT LINES FORM
 
Chronicle Telegram Editorial Board: Ohio GOP primary “could turn into a proxy battle in the GOP’s presidential nominating contest, which could complicate things.”
 
They’ve got that right. 
 
When it comes to the Presidential primary, the #OHSEN field is caught between a rock and a hard place and it’s only going to get more complicated from here. But in the meantime, read more on the chaos – including the below – here. 

WATCH MORE ON DESANTIS CAUSING CHAOS IN #OHSEN FROM SPECTRUM

YOU CAN NOW ADD “BLOODY FIGHT” TO THE LIST OF ADJECTIVES USED TO DESCRIBE THIS BATTLE
 
Live footage of Ohio Republicans’ family fight…

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 
Chronicle Telegram Editorial Board: “Anyway, it’s doubtful that Vance’s endorsement will be enough to head off another bruising GOP primary.”

In case you missed it, outlets across the state are taking note of the “bloody fight” ahead for Ohio’s Senate seat. 
 
The “family fight” in Ohio has already been called one of the “messiest, “most expensive” and “bruising” primary battles in the country. As more politicians and outside groups get involved – escalating infighting and throwing more gasoline on the fire – it is only going to get nastier from here. 
 
“The politicians in this race are more interested in attacking one another than focusing on the issues that matter most to Ohioans. No matter who emerges from this bloody fight, it’s clear they will be bruised, battered, and out of touch with Ohioans’ values,” said Reeves Oyster, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party.  
 
Read more below from the Chronicle Telegram and WVXU:
 
Chronicle Telegram: GOP Senate Primary Will Be A Fight
Editorial Board
May 24, 2023

• Anyway, it’s doubtful that Vance’s endorsement will be enough to head off another bruising GOP primary. 
• The GOP field is anything but settled. Thus far, Moreno and state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, are the only candidates who’ve formally entered the race.
• [The primary] also could turn into a proxy battle in the GOP’s presidential nominating contest, which could complicate things.
• Brown, by comparison, is a formidable incumbent and the last Democrat to win a statewide election in Ohio in a long time, other than three state Supreme Court justices who ran party labels weren’t used in races for the high court.
• The race between Brown and whichever Republican emerges victorious from the primary is widely considered a toss-up.
• Like the GOP primary, it will be a bloody fight. 

WVXU: Analysis: Why did J.D. Vance Endorse Bernie Moreno So Early?
Howard Wilkinson
May 24, 2023

• Vance, elected last fall, says he wants his party to avoid the nasty, expensive and sometimes out-of-control GOP Senate primary he and five other candidates waged last spring.
• What Moreno wants is to clear the field. Right now, he and State Sen. Matt Dolan of suburban Cleveland are the only two announced candidates for the nomination.
• Dolan, too, was a candidate in last year’s GOP Senate primary…In the 2022 primary, he was the only candidate to not join in the groveling for Trump’s endorsement. And he won’t do it in the 2024 race either.
• Moreno, of course, will go to Trump on bended knee.
• Complicating Moreno’s life right now is the fact that, as of today, we don’t even know who is going to run, much less win.
• The Club for Growth could not only use its vast network to help Davidson raise millions for his campaign, it could also spend its own millions clobbering Moreno and anyone else who would stand in the way of Davidson getting the nomination.
• So too is the idea that Davidson, an ex-Army Ranger, is going to be deterred by a Vance endorsement. If the man decides he wants to run, he will.

More chaos is brewing in Ohio Republicans’ “family fight” with Trump-nemesis Ron DeSantis officially filing paperwork to run for President today. It’s clear this primary – which has already been called one of the “messiest, “most expensive” and “bruising” battles in the country – is only going to get nastier from here as candidates are forced to navigate fault lines within the Republican party while duking it out to earn their conservative bona fides. 

What you need to know about the latest “family fight” in the #OHSEN field:

• Bernie Moreno called Trump “the greatest president of my lifetime” and is the only candidate in the race who has endorsed the former President. Moreno authored an op-ed earlier this year saying that candidates who refuse to support Trump should be “disqualified” and secured Trump-loyalist J.D. Vance’s endorsement earlier this week.
• Matt Dolan is ignoring Trump and appeared alongside a campaign event with Ron DeSantis in Ohio last month. Dolan has been slammed by conservative radio and Moreno for being “Democrat-light.”
• Frank LaRose has declined to endorse Donald Trump’s current bid for the Presidential nomination and has been spotted with Trump-nemeses Ron DeSantis – who he has financially supported – and Mike Pence in recent weeks. LaRose was also caught on tape downplaying the value of a Trump endorsement – an admission of his own problems with the former President.

• Warren Davidson yesterday expressed support for DeSantis while casting doubt on Trump’s ability to win in key battleground states in 2024. Club for Growth has already urged Davidson to enter the race and pledged their early support – setting up a repeat of 2022’s nasty battle between Club for Growth and Donald Trump in Ohio. 

See also: Club for Growth’s Warren Davidson Escalates Primary Brawl as He Embraces Donald Trump’s Nemesis; J.D. Vance Escalates Ohio Republicans’ “Family Fight” With Endorsement; Ohio Democratic Party Releases New Video on Ohio Republican’s “Family Fight;” Donald Trump Looms While the Field Takes Heat; Frank LaRose Doubles Down on His Trump Problem, Jabs at Bernie Moreno *Again*; The Buckeye Battle Continues; Frank LaRose Goes On The Attack in Messy #OHSEN Primary; Jabs, Jabs, and More Jabs; Bernie Moreno, Warren Davidson Sling Mud as #OHSEN Republican Primary Heats Up; RINOs and Ethics Troubles and Country Club Republicans – Oh My!

Yesterday on Timcast, Warren Davidson turned up the temperature on Republicans’ “family fight” by expressing support for Trump-nemesis Ron DeSantis while casting doubt on Trump’s ability to win suburban voters in key battleground states in 2024. 
 
“From receiving Club for Growth’s blessing to now embracing Trump-nemesis Ron DeSantis, Warren Davidson is pouring gasoline on the Ohio Senate primary fire,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Reeves Oyster. “As this primary heats up and candidates are forced to manage emerging fault lines while duking it out over key endorsements, it’s clear whoever emerges from this primary will be badly bruised, battered, and out-of-touch with Ohioans.”
 
Davidson’s comments come on the heels of Club for Growth President David McIntosh taking a shot at Trump – suggesting his candidacy could drag down candidates at the top of the ticket and dissuade others from entering competitive Senate races. 
 
Club for Growth has already urged Davidson to enter the race and pledged their early support – setting up a repeat of 2022’s nasty battle between Club for Growth and Donald Trump in Ohio. Earlier this week, Trump-loyalist J.D. Vance endorsed Bernie Moreno.