Trump-backed JD Vance wins Ohio Senate primary in packed field

In perhaps the most notable result of Tuesday night’s primary elections in Ohio in Indiana, author and former investment banker JD Vance won the Republican primary for Senate in Ohio. The video includes clips from his victory speech. Vance won the primary with 32.20% of the vote, according to Ohio’s elections website. That total bested former State Treasurer Josh Mandel (23.89%), state Sen. Matt Dolan (23.33%), and four others.

“Now this campaign, I really think was a referendum on what kind of Republican party we want and what kind of country we want,” Vance said in his victory speech Tuesday night. “Do we want a Republican party that stands for the donors who write checks to the Club for Growth or do we want a Republican party for the people right here in Ohio? Ladies and gentlemen, we just answered the question.”

Vance will will face U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) in November’s general election. Rep. Ryan easily won the Democratic primary with nearly 70% of the vote. The two are vying for the seat that will be left vacant by the retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).

The Republican Ohio Senate primary was not just a win for Vance. It can also be seen as a passed test of strength for former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Vance last month.

“The JD Vance endorsement I think was huge. It really propelled him, and had a tremendous surge like we haven’t seen in a while,” Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington said, according to a video posted on her Twitter account Wednesday morning. “He really had a really strong push at the end with the rally… that President Trump had for him.”

In another win for a Trump-backed candidate, Ohio’s Republican secretary of state Frank LaRose easily won his primary–but so did Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), whom Trump attacked for his coronavirus-related policies in 2020.

Gov. DeWine will face Democrat Nan Whaley in the general election. Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, is the first woman nominated by a major party for Ohio governor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.