The Republicans who want to be Ohio's next U.S. Senator flew to Florida this week to audition for former President Donald Trump, Politico reported Thursday.
Trump's endorsement is considered key to winning any Ohio GOP primary for the seat being vacated by Sen. Rob Portman, a retiring Republican from Terrace Park, near Cincinnati.
According to Politico, the four candidates attended a fundraiser Wednesday night at Trump's West Palm Beach golf club.
During the meeting, he summoned all of them – former state Treasurer Josh Mandel, former state GOP Chair Jane Timken, technology company executive Bernie Moreno and investment banker Mike Gibbons – to a private room.
"It was a scene right out of "The Apprentice," " wrote Politico's Alex Isenstadt.
What ensued was a 15-minute backroom backbiting session reminiscent of Trump’s reality TV show. Mandel said he was “crushing” Timken in polling. Timken touted her support on the ground thanks to her time as state party chair. Gibbons mentioned how he’d helped Trump’s campaign financially. Moreno noted that his daughter had worked on Trump’s 2020 campaign.
One person familiar with what transpired in Wednesday evening’s huddle described it as “Hunger Games,” an awkward showdown that none of them were expecting. Making matters even more uncomfortable, this person said, was that the rival candidates sat at a circular table, making it so that each had to face the others.
Read more at Politico.
Source link
