Buckeye Reporter

Ohio conservative gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci is calling out Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted for missing a recent Trump rally in Ohio.

The Trump rally was held in Delaware County on April 23, a recent report on Cincinnati.com said. DeWine claimed he could not attend because he had already committed to a celebration of Ulysses S. Grant's 200th birthday that same day. But Renacci suggested DeWine and Husted were absent because they knew the crowd would not be very receptive to them due to their 'anti-Trump' policies. 

DeWine also did not attend Trump's 2021 rally in Lorain County, citing a family conflict as the reason. Husted did attend a Trump rally near Dayton in 2021 but was booed when he mentioned DeWine and masks.

"Mike DeWine's first excuse was Ulysses S. Grant, then it was COVID, but what was Jon Husted's excuse?" Renacci said in a statement to the Buckeye Reporter. "We all know the answer. Neither of them wanted to be there because they knew they would be held accountable by Ohio conservatives for opposing President Trump and the MAGA movement every step of the way. The energy behind Trump and the America First agenda at Saturday's rally was incredible. Ohio Republicans are ready to elect a NEW governor who will actually fight for that agenda in Columbus and SUPPORT President Trump if he runs again in 2024!"

"There are obvious political reasons DeWine would skip the Trump rally, but 'I already committed to be at Ulysses S. Grant's 200th birthday party' is an all-timer excuse," Axios reporter Tyler Buchanan tweeted recently.

A few days before the rally, Renacci issued a press release that cited four major topics on which DeWine's policies differ from Trump's policies. The release stated: 1) DeWine has not said whether or not he believes substantial voter fraud occurred during the 2020 presidential election; 2) DeWine has said he will veto any attempts to ban transgender women from competing in women's sports; 3) DeWine has allowed Critical Race Theory into the curriculum of Ohio's schools; and 4) DeWine was the first governor in the U.S. to issue a statewide mask mandate for all schools.

A January Public Policy Polling survey asked more than 600 Americans who are likely to vote in the Republican primary whether they would vote for DeWine or a candidate endorsed by Donald Trump, and 55% of the respondents said they would vote for the Trump-endorsed candidate, while only 25% said they would vote for DeWine.

DeWine, 75, has been in elected office for more than 41 years, making him one of the longest-serving public officials in state history, a West Hamilton News report said. He has been a member of the Ohio State Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and has also served as Ohio attorney general and Ohio lieutenant governor.

DeWine will face Renacci in the May 3 GOP gubernatorial primary, a Ballotpedia report said. The winner will be put on the ballot for the general election on Nov. 8 of this year.