J.D. Vance won the Republican Senate primary in Ohio.

Ben Burke Producer

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

May 04, 2022

Ben Burke Producer

By Ben Burke (Producer)

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.

JD Vance, author and winner of the Senate GOP primary: “Now this campaign, I really think was a referendum on what kind of Republican party we want and what kind of country we want. We went to battle.”

“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.”

Juliet Tissot, JD Vance supporter, political campiagn volunteer: “I think he was the most sincere. He never read from a script. He answered questions whether they were hard or easy, and he spoke from the heart every time. And he addressed things that really matter to me like fighting CRT, standing for medical freedom, protecting the second amendment, everything that I’ve fought for for the last several years working in campaigns. He stood up and was my voice.”

JD Vance, author and winner of the Senate GOP primary: “We have such an opportunity in the state of Ohio because I think so many of our people, so many—and it’s not just Republicans, it’s moderates, it’s Democrats, I think as much as I can’t stand the leadership of the Democratic party, most of the people across the state of Ohio, whatever they’re voting for are good people.”

“But what I love about this country, ladies and gentlemen, is it’s not just for the families who’ve done everything right, it’s not just for the people who’ve made all the right decisions, it’s it’s the country for the people who take second chances, it’s the country for the people who get back on the horse.”