Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel (R) is looking to replicate Donald Trump's campaign strategy, hoping to reap the benefits of the president-elect's success in his second Senate bid.
Mandel is looking to unseat Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) in 2018, taking advantage of a midterm electorate that leans more Republican.
Mandel announced his bid on Wednesday in a style straight out of the Trump playbook, including with familiar slogans like “rigged system” and “drain the swamp.” He leaned heavily into Trump campaign themes of improving the middle class and decreasing the influence of lobbyists and special interests.
“Most people think Washington is broken, but really it’s just a rigged system,” Mandel said in the video. “The politicians and their cronies get rich while the middle class struggles.”
Mandel’s coziness to Trump could pay political dividends. The president-elect won the perennial swing state by 8 percent even after polls leading up to the election showed him ahead by only a few points.
His announcement also played up two pillars of Trump’s campaign: immigration policy and national security. The Ohio Republican highlighted in his announcement his opposition to sanctuary cities and called for stronger border security.
In a Dec. 1 speech at Trump’s “thank you tour” event in Cincinnati, just days after a Somali refugee’s attack at Ohio State left 13 people injured, Mandel blasted politicians who refuse to say “radical Islam.” Similarly, Trump mocked Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail for declining to use the phrase.
Mandel, a Marine Corps veteran who served two tours in Iraq, is the first declared Senate challenger of 2018. Mandel won his state treasurer position in 2010.
Mandel’s entrance in the race quickly met with praise from high-profile Republicans. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and conservative group FreedomWorks quickly issued endorsements. The following day, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sent out a fundraising email.
GOP pollster WPA Research conducted an early poll showing Mandel leading Brown by 1 point, putting his potential lead within the 4 percent margin of error.
Republican strategists in Ohio give Mandel the upper hand in the primary even as more Republican candidates are expected to launch bids. They say his statewide name recognition plus his prolific fundraising makes him a daunting primary opponent and a credible challenger to the popular Brown.
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Before Mandel can face Brown in a rematch, he must win a GOP primary that has already drawn other prospective challengers.
Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio) has been looking at this race for the past six months, according to a GOP source. Tiberi has close ties to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, after working for him in Congress and now holding his old House seat. Tiberi has a well-padded war chest with $5.2 million cash on hand.
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Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) isn’t ruling out a statewide run, but hasn’t specified whether he's interested in Senate or governor.
State Sen.-elect Matt Huffman (R) is another potential contender. Strategists say he doesn’t have a statewide platform like Mandel, but are told he has a “significant backing.” Huffman confirmed to The Hill that he’s been urged to consider running, but won’t make that decision until June 2017.
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http://thehill.com/news/campaign/309...io-senate-race
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Originally Posted by Brian4Liberty
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