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J.D. Vance, a Republican candidate for the US Senate who received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, is expected to win his party’s hotly contested primary in Ohio on Tuesday, according to US media. Like many Republicans, the 37-year-old was initially critical of Trump during his political rise, even calling him “America’s Hitler” at one point, but later became an ardent supporter, emulating the former president’s firebrand populism.
Vance, a former Marine and Yale Law School graduate, rose to prominence in 2016 with the publication of his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” which sought to explain why working-class white voters could be drawn to the candidacy of a New York real estate mogul like Trump.
Several candidates were vying for the Republican nominee in Ohio, with the race largely centred on how close the party should remain to Trump, who continues to claim victory in the 2020 presidential election.
Moderate Republicans, including outgoing Senator Rob Portman, are concerned that Democrats will be able to win the general election in November if the Republican nominees support those false claims.
“I have to thank the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump,” Vance said in his victory speech.
“A lot of the lying media out there… wanted to write a story about how Donald Trump’s America First Agenda would die as a result of this campaign. It’s not the end of the America First agenda, ladies and gentlemen! “Vance stated.
Vance will face moderate Democrat Tim Ryan, a sitting US spokesperson from a blue-collar district, in the November election.
Ohio’s other sitting senator is Democrat Sherrod Brown, who has a similar political style to Ryan, giving Democrats hope that they can pick up a key Senate seat from the red-leaning state.
Because the US Senate is currently split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats, each election this November has the potential to shift control of the chamber.
