COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Gov. Mike DeWine ahead of Ohio’s gubernatorial election.
Trump endorsed DeWine along with Lt. Governor Jon Husted on Wednesday, with 62 days to go before election day. DeWine shared Trump’s announcement on Twitter and said, “Lt. Governor [Jon Husted] and I are grateful for President Trump’s support.”
“We have an outstanding person running, Mike DeWine, who quietly, but professionally and patriotically, goes about his job, and really well,” Trump said in the endorsement.
DeWine and Husted are running for a second term against Democratic nominee Nan Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton. Whaley chose Cuyahoga Councilmember Cheryl Stephens as her running mate and candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
The endorsement comes after Trump did not endorse the governor before the Republican primary and bashed DeWine during a speech at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
Trump won Ohio in 2020’s presidential election by eight points, with more than 3 million Ohioans voting for the former president and 2.6 million voting for President Biden.
Following the election, DeWine acknowledged that Biden had defeated Trump in the presidential election. Trump responded shortly after through Twitter, saying, “Who will be running for Governor of the Great State of Ohio? Will be hotly contested!”
Still, in Wednesday’s endorsement, Trump said, “Ohio has been in strong hands with the economy ‘roaring,’ especially in the four years that I was president.”
Trump will visit Ohio next weekend for a rally in support of Senate candidate J.D. Vance.
