![Jane Timken poses with Donald Trump, now the former president, in an undated photo on her campaign website. [Janetimkenforohio.com]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/77fb016/2147483647/strip/true/crop/398x300+0+0/resize/840x634!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fimages%2Fnews%2Fnpr%2F2021%2F02%2F969158350_1603576955.jpg)
The contest for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate is a real race now that the former chair of the Ohio Republican Party has done as many expected and announced her candidacy. It’s shaping up to be a battle over which candidate can tie themselves more closely to former president Donald Trump.
Jane Timken launched her campaign with a highly produced video and website, promoting her praise for Trump’s policies and connections to Trump – who won Ohio by eight points but lost the election.
Timken also blasts former Republican Gov. John Kasich, who earned the scorn of many Ohioans in his party for his criticism of Trump. Timken became Ohio Republican Party chair by ousting Kasich's handpicked chairMatt Borges after Trump won in 2016.
Those criticizing Timken include her likely opponent, former state treasurer Josh Mandel, who tweeted out an old photo of Timken and Kasich in a happy embrace.
On her campaign website, @JaneyMurph bashed former Gov John Kasich (she took over the Ohio GOP after ousting Kasich’s handpicked chair Matt Borges). @JoshMandelOhio - who went w Marco Rubio and then Trump in 2016 as other Republicans were supporting Kasich - tweeted out this pic: https://t.co/MRxhk460Yj
— Karen Kasler (@karenkasler) February 18, 2021
Mandel said through a spokesman that he “is the only unabashedly pro-Trump candidate in this race.”
Mandel also claimed Timken "flip-flopped" on Trump’s impeachment, which he called a "sham" and "unconstitutional." Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who Mandel and Timken want to replace, used that argument in defending his vote against convicting Trump last weekend.
Timken also called the impeachment a sham in a tweet earlier this month.
This second sham impeachment is not based in reason or the law — it's about one thing and one thing only, trying to tarnish the great record and legacy of President Trump.https://t.co/NNi2pjnltC
— Jane Timken (@JaneTimkenOH) February 13, 2021
She also spoke out against U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, the only Ohio Republican to vote to impeach Trump.
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