Share this @internewscast.com

CLEVELAND — Former President Donald Trump will battle Ohio’s old-guard Republican establishment in the closing days of the state’s competitive GOP Senate primary.

Trump announced late Monday that he will headline a Saturday rally near Dayton aimed at pushing his preferred candidate, Bernie Moreno, across the finish line. 

Buckeye Values PAC, a pro-Moreno group, will host the event, set for three days before the primary featuring Moreno, state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. There have been few independent polls gauging the state of the race, but the campaigns are treating it as a dead heat, with millions of dollars flooding the Buckeye State’s airwaves and nasty attacks among the candidates escalating.

A source close to Trump’s team told NBC News earlier this month that a rally for Moreno was “highly unlikely.” It was unclear Monday what had changed the political calculus. But the announcement comes after several high-profile endorsements for Dolan. Hours earlier Monday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and his wife, Fran, declared their support for Dolan. Former Sen. Rob Portman, whose wife had been raising money for Dolan, offered his endorsement last week.

“Matt Dolan has a vision for the future. He listens. He fights. And, he knows how to get results for Ohio,” DeWine said in an open statement to Ohio voters. “We have worked to bring business to Ohio and to create an environment in this state that will continue to grow jobs and keep Ohio moving forward. Matt has been a real partner to make Ohio a national leader in economic growth, job creation, and innovation. He is fighting and winning to bring jobs to Ohio and secure a prosperous economic future for our children and grandchildren.”

DeWine has not tightly tied his political identity to Trump. The former president endorsed his 2022 reelection bid — but only after a primary in which DeWine faced a challenge from the right. Dolan, too, has avoided getting too close to Trump. He presents himself as a champion of Trump policies but has acknowledged that the two are not in sync, personality-wise.

“His personality? It’s not me. His political style? It’s not me,” Dolan said at a debate last week with LaRose and Moreno. “But his policies that make your life better, that make America stronger, that will make Ohio stronger? That is me.”

Andy Surabian, a GOP strategist close to Trump who is advising Moreno, cast Tuesday’s primary as a battle between Trump’s MAGA coalition and RINOs, or Republicans in name only. In a post on X, he stacked the DeWine and Portman endorsements for Dolan against Moreno’s backing from Trump, Ohio Sen. JD Vance and another prominent Ohio conservative, Rep. Jim Jordan.

“The Ohio Senate race,” Surabian wrote, “is officially Team America First vs Team RINO.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
SEE IT: Small plane flips over in South Carolina backyard after pilot's deliberate maneuver

Watch This: Small Plane Flips in South Carolina Backyard Due to Pilot’s Intentional Move

Home surveillance footage captured the startling moment a single-engine Cessna 150 flipped…
City of Atlantic Beach warns about permit email scam

Atlantic Beach City Issues Alert on Fraudulent Permit Email Scam

Atlantic Beach Police are investigating an email phishing scam where the senders…
4th round of US-Iran talks ends as Trump set to embark on historic Middle East tour

Iran Regime Intensifies Repression, Adopting a ‘North Korea-Style Model of Isolation and Control’

In the wake of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, the…
Julio César Chávez Jr. arrested by ICE agents just days after Jake Paul fight

Julio César Chávez Jr. Detained by ICE Shortly After Facing Jake Paul

Officials said ICE officers detained the former middleweight champion for overstaying a…
Violent criminal gangs have 'near-total control' of world nation's capital, UN says

UN Reports: Violent Gangs Dominate Capital of Major World Nation

Haiti’s capital is under “near-total control” by criminal gangs as violence intensifies,…
Passengers and first responders at an ICE train following an axe attack.

An attacker armed with an axe and a hammer injures at least four people in a rampage on a crowded high-speed train in Germany.

At least four individuals sustained injuries when a man wielding an axe…
David Stearns keeping 'every option' open with Mets pitching

David Stearns Considering All Possibilities for Mets Pitching Strategy

The Mets’ rotation reinforcements are on the way, just not immediately for…
What's open and closed on July Fourth

July Fourth: What Is Open and What Is Closed?

The Fourth of July holiday, also recognized as Independence Day, commemorates the…
$20M worth of cocaine, marijuana intercepted by Coast Guard

Coast Guard Seizes $20 Million in Cocaine and Marijuana

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) says they have intercepted over $20 million…
Kay Adams' first pitch at Cubs game wasn’t even close

Kay Adams’ First Pitch at Cubs Game Misses the Mark

FanDuel TV host Kay Adams said she wanted “accuracy” when she threw…
Iran to suspend work with UN nuclear watchdog, president says

Iran to Halt Collaboration with UN Nuclear Agency, President Announces

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has signed into law a bill passed by…
Special Ed Teacher Indicted on 52 Abuse Charges

Special Education Teacher Faces 52 Charges of Abuse

Christina Formella, a former Downers Grove South High School special education teacher,…