The results are in for Ohio’s U.S. Senate Republican primary that took place on May 3. An author and venture capitalist, J.D. Vance, won the party’s nomination for U.S. Senator. The race was a critical indicator of support levels for former President Donald Trump, who campaigned heavily for Vance after endorsing him on Friday, April 15.
Vance is just the latest in a long line of Trump-backed candidates to win, leading some to speculate that, if the trend continues through the nationwide midterm elections in November, it could set the stage for a Trump-Biden rematch in 2024. Before receiving former President Trump’s endorsement, Vance was polling in third place with approximately 10% support.
The National Review published a piece last month predicting Vance would lose, citing the belief that Trump’s influence over the party was waning and that Vance’s anti-interventionist policies towards Ukraine would sink his candidacy.
However, voting results show that Vance won 32.3% of the vote against six other candidates and received 87,000 more votes than the next highest candidate. In his acceptance speech Tuesday night, Vance thanked the former president and credited Trump with helping him win the nomination.
Vance will face longtime Democratic U.S. Representative Tim Ryan in the general election.
“I have absolutely got to thank the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, ladies and gentleman,” said Vance at his campaign headquarters in Cincinnati. “Thanks to the president for everything, for endorsing me.”
He added that he thought his campaign “was a referendum on what kind of a Republican Party we want, and what kind of a country we want.”
Before entering politics a few years ago, Vance was most known for publishing a memoir based on his experiences as a child growing up in Appalachia.
The 2016 book, Hillbilly Elegy, was turned into a 2020 movie, which Ron Howard directed. It starred Amy Adams, Glenn Close, and Gabriel Basso as Vance himself. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, though it did not win.
The former President’s son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted out his congratulations when it became evident that Vance was the winner.
Tens of millions of RINO dollars spent to stop my man @JDVance1 in Ohio and they call it before 9 o’clock. The America First movement is alive and well people. Congrats JD, well done. pic.twitter.com/Yhu3LEHjQF
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 4, 2022
According to Trump advisers, candidates endorsed by the former president since he left office in January of 2021 are 55-0.
Whether the former president’s endorsements will continue leading to election victories remains to be seen. With several other states holding elections later this month, more and more scrutiny will be placed on his endorsed candidates.
Trump has endorsed candidates in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Idaho, and Georgia for races later this month. The results of the races will continue showing to what extent Trump continues to influence the Republican Party.