Republicans who have been critical of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and other top GOP officeholders are backing their own slate of candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, and more. Some of these candidates are considered long shots. Now, a group that backs those candidates is asking the state party to avoid endorsing anyone in next year’s spring primary.
Tom Hach with the group, “Free Ohio Now,” says members of his group, many of whom are Republican, are pressuring the Ohio Republican Party’s State Central Committee NOT to endorse candidates for the May primary at this week’s meeting.
“The endorsed candidates get not only access to money but also administrative support, access to fundraisers and other things that the other candidates do not have," Hach says.
Hach says his group won’t endorse any candidates before the primary either if the state party refrains from doing so. A spokeswoman for the party says endorsements are not on this Friday’s agenda but wouldn’t comment on whether the party might decide to endorse candidates in the future.
