![Jim Renacci (right) introduces Joe Knopp (left) as his running mate in their bid for the Republican nomination in the Ohio governor's race. [Tana Weingartner / WVXU]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/df5f523/2147483647/strip/true/crop/980x551+0+0/resize/840x472!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fimages%2Fnews%2Fnpr%2F2021%2F12%2FRenacci-Knopp.jpg)
Former Congressman Jim Renacci, a Republican, announced his running mate in his bid to be Ohio's governor will be Joe Knopp.
Knopp, an Air Force veteran, was born in Philadelphia but now lives in Springboro.
His production company recently released the pro-Donald Trump film "The Trump I Know."
Other credits include the anti-abortion movie "Unplanned" and "I Can Only Imagine”, one of the highest grossing faith-based films.
Renacci, a northeast Ohio Congressman from 2011 to 2019, touts Knopp's status as an outsider with no political experience.
"The two of us are outside businesspeople who understand that we can't keep going down the same road of career politicians who don't really know how to change anything, and that's the reason our state is failing so bad today," said Renacci.
Renacci says he and Knopp will campaign around the state with a focus on reducing spending, cutting taxes, and fixing corruption.
Renacci is running a far-right campaign against several Republican candidates including current Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) and central Ohio farmer and businessman Joe Blystone.
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