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Former Ohio Treasurer Mandel Is First Republican To Announce For Senate

By: Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau
Posted on: Wednesday, February 10, 2021

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Republicans have their first official candidate for the 2022 US Senate race. Former state treasurer Josh Mandel is launching his third try at that office.

Josh Mandel has been out of office since 2018, when he was term limited as state treasurer.

But it’s not a big surprise that he announced on Twitter Wednesday morning that he’s running for the open seat for the U.S. Senate.

Today I’m excited to announce that I’m running for U.S. Senate in Ohio.

Watching this sham impeachment has made my blood boil and motivated me to run.

I’m going to Washington to fight for President Trump’s America First Agenda. https://t.co/9MTG41r95g

— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) February 10, 2021

Mandel lost to Ohio’s Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2012 and scrapped another campaign against Brown in 2018 when his wife fell ill. It would have been only the second rematch for two Senate candidates in Ohio history.

Since then, Mandel has gotten divorced. He’s also scrubbed his profile on Twitter, showing just a couple of tweets since his join date of April 2009.

Mandel had filed paperwork to run for U.S. Congress in late 2018, eyeing the 2020 cycle. It was suggested he was considering a run against Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH 11), but he never got into the race.

Mandel was known as a big fundraiser and a vocal supporter of former President Trump, though he had endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) early in the 2016 campaign, breaking with other Ohio Republicans who were supporting then-Gov. John Kasich.

But he embraced Trump as the nominee and as the eventual winner in 2016, along with Trump’s message.

Mandel said in a statement about his 2022 Senate run, which he’s announcing as Trump’s second impeachment trial is ongoing: “Watching this sham impeachment has made my blood boil and motivated me to run. I’m going to Washington to fight for President Trump’s America First Agenda.”

That pits him against likely candidate and Trump supporter Jane Timken, who resigned as Ohio Republican Party chair last week with a statement saying she’ll soon announce her plans but she’ll do all she can to advance “conservative, America First policies in Ohio.”

Today, I am announcing my resignation as Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party. I am confident that the work we have done over the last four years will leave our party in the best possible position to support Republican candidates up and down the ticket. https://t.co/04GSI5STlo

— Jane Murphy Timken (@JaneyMurph) February 5, 2021

U.S. Sen Rob Portman announced last month he wouldn’t run again in 2022. He had endorsed Mandel in what was looking to be a crowded primary for the 2018 U.S. Senate race.

Former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci has also expressed interest in running for U.S. Senate, as he did against Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2018. But he also is apparently considering launching a primary challenge against Gov. Mike DeWine in 2022.

On the Democratic side, Dayton mayor Nan Whaley is considered a leading contender, along with Youngstown-area Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH 13). Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is also considering a run. Former Columbus mayor Michael Coleman has said he won’t run but will weigh in on the race.