Jim Renacci Wins GOP Senate Primary To Face Sherrod Brown in General

ML Schultze, WKSU

Ohio’s U.S. Senate race this fall is expected to be one of the most expensive in the country and to have Donald Trump’s name all over it.

Among the first to arrive for Republican Congressman Jim Renacci’s election night party were Bikers for Trump.

As soon as Renacci was declared the winner of the GOP nomination last night, the battle against Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown began.

Renacci was the endorsed Trump candidate in the GOP primary race among five candidates. And when he took the stage to celebrate winning the GOP nomination, Renacci insisted Ohio is firmly in the president’s corner.

“Ohio is a Trump state,” Renacci declared. “Ohio is going to move forward with the Trump agenda, and Ohio is going to get anybody that’s an obstacle, including Sen. Brown, out of the way.”

Renacci, whose businesses included nursing home and car dealerships, was elected to Congress in the Tea Party wave of 2010 but says he's remained a businessman, not a politician. No so, he says, with Brown.

“Nice guy, but he votes with Elizabeth Warren, he votes with Bernie Sanders,” Renacci said. “Ohio is not a liberal state, it’s a moderate state, middle of the road state. And what I’ve got to do is convince people that, look at his voting record, look at my background and experience.”

The Congressman acknowledged Brown’s position is close to Trump’s on trade tariffs, but Renacci said he’s a more reliable partner with the president.

“People want to say that he’s aligned himself, but Sherrod’s not been helpful at all with this administration,” Renacci said. “He didn’t vote for the tax cut and jobs plan, he’s not voting for nominations, he’s not voting for things that move the agenda forward.” 

Among those Renacci beat in Tuesday’s GOP primary is Cleveland businessman Mike Gibbons, who sued Renacci saying he falsely portrayed Gibbons as a liberal. Renacci said he believes they’ll unite now.