Buckeye Reporter

A new poll taken of Republican primary voters found that Ohio gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci leads incumbent Republican Gov. Mike Dewine by 8 points in the primary election.

The poll was conducted by Tony Fabrizio, former President Donald Trump's pollster with experience polling Ohio races. Only 32% of voters said they would vote to re-elect DeWine, while 50% said they planned to vote in opposition. Trump maintains an 89% approval rating in the state. DeWine has repeatedly opposed Trump and "Trumpism."

"I've seen on the ground what this poll sees in the data," Renacci said in a press release. "Ohio Republicans are deeply unsatisfied with Mike DeWine's anti-Trump blue-state leadership. Our campaign is building a groundswell of support to put Ohio on a new path and end Mike DeWine's 40-year political career in May." 

Renacci, 63, is an accountant and entrepreneur who once owned the Columbus Destroyers Arena Football Team. He won election to U.S. Congress in 2010 as part of the Tea Party movement, and later endorsed Trump over then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich in 2016 primary for president, according to Renacci's website.

“DeWine's numbers are a disaster because of his poor performance and anti-Trump agenda," Renacci Campaign Advisor Brad Parscale said in the release. "Jim Renacci is the only Trump candidate, and it is clear from the data that Mike DeWine is the anti-Trump candidate.” 

DeWine will face off against Renacci in the May 3 GOP gubernatorial primary. The winner will go on to appear on ballots for the general election on Nov. 8, according to Ballotpedia.

DeWine, 74, was Kasich's choice to replace him as Ohio governor in 2019. He is one of the longest-serving public officials in state history, having been in elected office for 41 years. That includes stints in the Ohio State Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate and as Ohio attorney general and Ohio lieutenant governor, according to West Hamilton News.