The Clermont County Republican Party has passed a resolution that demands the Ohio Republican Party not endorse a gubernatorial candidate in the 2022 primary. Backers of this resolution say they want to make sure anyone who runs against incumbent Mike DeWine in the primary has a fair chance.
Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken says, in a written statement, the State Central Committee will consider endorsements at the appropriate time and adds that she strongly supports DeWine’s re-election. Former state Representative John Becker supports the resolution and says Timken should not allow state party endorsements in a primary because they are unfair and prevent the rank and file from making the choice.
“It just doubles down on why people hate the establishment and politics and politicians in general. It’s a ‘we protect our own’ kind of mentality," Becker says.
In recent months, some Republicans have talked about running against DeWine because of his pandemic actions. In her statement, Timken says this type of division is exactly what Democrats want.
