COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Is it J.P. Mandel? J.D. Mandel? Josh Mandel? JD Vance?
Former President Donald Trump didn’t seem too sure who he endorsed for the Republican Senate primary.
At a rally in Greenwood, Nebraska, on Sunday, Trump, about 42 minutes into his speech, began touting his record of 33-0 in Texas candidates he endorsed winning their races.
One candidate who recently received Trump’s endorsement is JD Vance, seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator from Ohio in a highly competitive primary where four of the five leading Republican candidates actively sought the former president’s endorsement.
“You know, we’ve endorsed Dr. Oz (Mehmet Oz, seeking the Republican nomination for Senator from Pennsylvania),” Trump said. “We’ve endorsed J.P., right? J.D. Mandel and he’s doing great. They’re all doing good. They’re all doing good.”
To that point, Trump was correct. Since endorsing Vance at a Delaware County rally on April 25, Vance’s polling numbers have jumped, currently placing him in the lead with 23% of likely voters, according to a Fox News poll.
Missing Trump’s endorsement hasn’t stopped candidate Josh Mandel from invoking the former president’s name in campaign advertising. Mandel is currently airing advertising in the central Ohio area proclaiming to be “Pro-GOD, Pro-GUN, Pro-TRUMP.”
How Trump’s gaffe will affect the polls, if at all, is yet to be seen. Voting in the primary concludes Tuesday.