COLUMBUS, Ohio (Washington Insider Magazine) – On Monday, Texas Senator Ted Cruz backed former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel in the fiercely contested Republican Senate race for an open seat, providing a pivotal campaign boost just before early voting in the Midwestern battleground begins.
Cruz’s endorsement might be especially beneficial among conservative backers in the absence of a presidential endorsement from Donald Trump, who has yet to join in despite contenders’ best efforts to court him – and may not.
Cruz is one of the most visible Republicans in the Senate, having competed for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, which Trump won, and may run again in 2024. He and Mandel both have a penchant for exploiting cultural divides for political benefit.
According to polling, Cleveland investment banker Mike Gibbons has a modest lead over Mandel in the crowded GOP field competing to replace retiring Republican Senator Rob Portman. Former novelist and venture investor J.D. Vance, state Republican chair Jane Timken, state Senator Matt Dolan, and businessmen Neil Patel and Mark Pukita are all competing in the May 3 primary.
According to ABC NEWS, early voting starts on Tuesday.
Cruz stated in a release to The Associated Press that he selected Mandel since he will stand up to “radical democrats” who want to “deliver socialism to America” by exploiting the country’s issues.
Mandel stated in an interview that if elected, he plans to provide reinforcements for conservative warriors like Ted Cruz.
As he focuses towards the future, Cruz has issued a string of endorsements throughout this year’s primary. In Missouri, he is endorsing Attorney General Eric Schmitt, while in Pennsylvania, he is endorsing businessman David McCormick.
Club for Growth, a conservative organization that helped Cruz win a difficult election in 2012, is now pushing to elect Mandel this year. According to the organization’s polls, Mandel and Gibbons are neck and neck.
Mandel has also gained the support of North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who has been chastised by a huge number of Republicans for recent remarks, notably one in which he referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “thug.” Senator Mike Lee of Utah, a conservative friend of Cruz, has also endorsed Mandel.
Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Jim Banks of Indiana, and Josh Hawley of Missouri are all supporters of Vance, and Donald Trump Jr. attended a Vance event in Florida over the weekend. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has endorsed Gibbons.
In February, both Portman and former Trump aide Kellyanne Conway backed Timken. Senators Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, and Joni Ernst of Iowa have all endorsed Timken.
