STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — GOP governors across the country are staring down a wave of Trump-inspired primary challengers. Former Rep. Jim Renacci hopes to be a success story for them in Ohio.
The former congressman is challenging Gov. Mike DeWine, a mainstay of Ohio Republican politics for decades who is seeking reelection to a second term in November, more than 30 years after his first run for statewide office. Renacci is pouring his own money into the race against the incumbent, trying to push DeWine out in favor of a candidate who claims to more wholly embody the Republican Party shaped by former President Donald Trump.
The primary is developing as an early test case of intra-party rebellion against a number of Republican governors this year. DeWine has forged a long and decorated career in Ohio capped off by his governorship — but relations with his own changing party have been challenging at times. Renacci, meanwhile, has molded his campaign in Trump’s image — though he lacks Trump’s actual endorsement so far.
The GOP primary could show just how far Trumpism, even without the former president’s direct involvement, can take a challenger against a more traditional conservative governor who clashed with the most strident parts of the Republican base during the pandemic.
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