Trump intervenes in Ohio Senate primary -- for himself

[brooklynite]

Politico

The Ohio Senate race is turning into one of the most brutal contests of next year’s midterm elections — and former President Donald Trump is worried it could hurt him if he waged a 2024 comeback bid.

Trump last month called Club for Growth President David McIntosh to complain about a TV advertising campaign the conservative organization was running targeting Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance, and asked McIntosh to take the ads down. The commercials attacked Vance by using footage of him from 2016, when he described himself as a “Never Trump guy” and called Trump an “idiot,” “noxious” and “offensive.” The message was designed to hurt Vance in a Republican primary centered on fealty toward the former president. Vance, like others in the race, has cast himself as a staunch Trump ally.

But according to three people briefed on the call, Trump told McIntosh the commercials could have the effect of driving down his popularity in Ohio, which he won by 8 percentage points in the 2020 election. Prior to the call, Trump had been stewing over the ads and had complained about them to people in his circle.

McIntosh, an informal Trump adviser who frequently talks with the former president about campaigns around the country, responded by saying he would look into the matter, according to one of the people familiar with the conversation. But the Club continued airing the $1 million TV buy — and on Wednesday, the organization escalated the offensive by plowing another $500,000 behind the effort.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Club for Growth are a special brand of loonies

[Diamond_Dog]

2. I have not seen these ads here.

But please do show more of them! Ignore the orange blob.

[Maeve]

3. I've seen the anti-Vance ads in the Columbus area

Almost makes me want to vote for him...ALMOST!!

He's an opportunistic jerk and I doubt there is a Repub alive who will ever get my vote.

[blueinredohio]

5. They're showing in northwest Ohio too.

[True Blue American]

4. What makes Vance think he is qualified

To be a Senator? There is not one thing in his background to qualify.

A book about a dysfunctional family that turned many against him. He makes up look like a bunch of Hillbillies who voted for Trump. That area is mostly Democratic.

[viva la]

6. Hecis now doing his best to be more caveman

Than the rest, antiwoman, anti modern culture, pro Trump.

[tanyev]

7. "Mr. McIntosh, I've got a whiny crybaby on line one for you."