What You Missed This Week in #OHSEN: Donald Trump Looms While the Field Takes Heat
May 12, 2023
You can now add “combative” and “rough” to the growing list of adjectives used to describe this year’s Republican primary for Ohio’s Senate seat. And with Donald Trump’s presence looming large and the candidates fielding attacks from all sides, it’s only going to get messier from here. Here’s what you might have missed this week:
HOWARD WILKINSON: “THE SPECTER OF TRUMP HANGS HEAVY OVER OHIO GOP SENATE PRIMARY”
Flashback alert : It’s a new cycle but as columnist Howard Wilkinson points out this week, Donald Trump’s influence is still looming large over the Republican primary for Ohio’s Senate seat. More from Wilkinson’s column on the field and Trump:
Bernie Moreno calls Trump “‘the greatest president of my lifetime.’”
Matt Dolan is “ignoring Trump as he did in his 2022 Senate campaign.”
Frank LaRose “secretly yearn[s] for Trump’s support” – despite admitting his own Trump problem behind the scenes – while trying to “act cool and pretend it doesn’t matter.”
And Warren Davidson sets up a chaotic rematch between Club for Growth and Donald Trump.
SPEAKING OF TRUMP… BERNIE MORENO TO ATTEND TURNING POINT ACTION CONFERENCE IN FLORIDA
The groveling continues…
FRANK LAROSE HAS ANOTHER BAD WEEK – GETS HIT FROM ALL SIDES FOR PUTTING SPECIAL INTERESTS FIRST
Read the weeks of bad coverage for LaRose for yourself — including from GOP officials in Ohio:
PLUS, LAROSE DOUBLES DOWN ON HIS TRUMP PROBLEM AND CONTINUES TO JAB AT BERNIE MORENO
After being caught on tape downplaying the value of a Trump endorsement – an admission of his own problems with the former president – Frank LaRose doubled down to NBC and cast more shade at opponent Bernie Moreno who has received Trump’s praise:
LAROSE: “Trump’s endorsement ‘isn’t the entirety of someone’s candidacy…They can’t base their entire candidacy on one man’s endorsement, no matter how influential it may be.’”
Also noteworthy, LaRose has declined to endorse Donald Trump but was spotted with Trump-nemeses Mike Pence this week.
NO SURPRISES HERE: MATT DOLAN BLASTED ON CONSERVATIVE RADIO AGAIN
HOST: “No, [Dolan’s] family are just absolutely loaded billionaires who own the Knicks, the Rangers, and the Indians…”
CALLER: “And that’s what we want, don’t we?”
HOST: “…I respect your opinion but – listen – I think really you need to find out who Matt Dolan really is. Cause let me tell you something. You want John Kasich? Go ahead and vote for Matt Dolan.”
CALLER: “NOOOOOOOOOO never!”