I always was curious about JD Vance seeking to run for office in Ohio. since I thought his roots were more centered around West Virginia and Kentucky... Maybe he thought it was easy pickings, but it's turned out to be anything but... And the race is looking more and more like "must see tv"...
Hard to believe these folks were at one point represented by John Kasich, as far as providing the leadership for the Ohio GOP. The craziness first surfaced with the redistricting battle between the GOP-controlled Legislature, the Independent Commission and the Supreme Court. Basically the voters in Ohio approved a fairness in redistricting measure in 2015, which requires the new districts to reflect the 54-46% split, and the Legislators have drawn 4 maps that abused the process. The 4-3 GOP majority Supreme Court has rejected those maps, and in each case it has been the Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor who has sided with the 3 Dems to thwart the wannabee kingmakers in the Legislature. This has resulted in some Legislators calling for her to be Impeached, even though she served as Lt Governor under Taft and has won statewide elections to the Supreme Court on 5 different occasions and her races have never been close. Some background on that here- but this is just the opening act in this 3 ring circus...
Then there is the GOP Senate Primary, where the two leading contenders (Mandel and Gibbons) practically came to blows during a debate 3 weeks while ago while Timken and Vance watched initially, and then Vance made a show of getting up and playing peacemaker... The video is like a teenager arguing with Grandpa, while Mom and Dad watch before Dad steps in to make sure junior and Grandpa don't come to blows...
So then last week, there were rumors that Trump was going to pull another Oz and endorse Vance, and Ohio MAGA was in an uproar over that possibility. The other 3 and their people begged Trump not to endorse anyone (and certainly not Vance), but Trump is Trump and he loves him some celebrities. So on Friday...
Of course many of Trump's followers were dismayed, pointing out that Vance had called himself a "never-Trumper" in 2016... And then today a one time friend of Vance's named Josh McLaurin released texts that Vance had sent him in 2016, when they were both concerned about what Trump represented...Check out Vance here. Not sure what will be more damaging to Vance- referring to Trump as a possible Hitler, or describing the GOP as the party of "lower-income, lower-education white people"...
Now someone tweeted that Trump put out a statement saying he forgave Vance, and he's since shown he's a MAGA warrior (aka he expressed approval for the Big Lie) But I did see this blurb from NBC announcing that Jr has announced he'll be campaigning with Vance at an upcoming rally in Ohio... Tell me that won't be AWKWARD...
I'm thinking the announcement came before the tweet was released...
Hard to believe these folks were at one point represented by John Kasich, as far as providing the leadership for the Ohio GOP. The craziness first surfaced with the redistricting battle between the GOP-controlled Legislature, the Independent Commission and the Supreme Court. Basically the voters in Ohio approved a fairness in redistricting measure in 2015, which requires the new districts to reflect the 54-46% split, and the Legislators have drawn 4 maps that abused the process. The 4-3 GOP majority Supreme Court has rejected those maps, and in each case it has been the Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor who has sided with the 3 Dems to thwart the wannabee kingmakers in the Legislature. This has resulted in some Legislators calling for her to be Impeached, even though she served as Lt Governor under Taft and has won statewide elections to the Supreme Court on 5 different occasions and her races have never been close. Some background on that here- but this is just the opening act in this 3 ring circus...
The Republican judge blocking her party from rigging electoral districts
Some Republicans are calling for Ohio supreme court chief justice Maureen O’Connor’s impeachment because she is refusing to let them distort electoral districts to their advantage
www.theguardian.com
Then there is the GOP Senate Primary, where the two leading contenders (Mandel and Gibbons) practically came to blows during a debate 3 weeks while ago while Timken and Vance watched initially, and then Vance made a show of getting up and playing peacemaker... The video is like a teenager arguing with Grandpa, while Mom and Dad watch before Dad steps in to make sure junior and Grandpa don't come to blows...
So then last week, there were rumors that Trump was going to pull another Oz and endorse Vance, and Ohio MAGA was in an uproar over that possibility. The other 3 and their people begged Trump not to endorse anyone (and certainly not Vance), but Trump is Trump and he loves him some celebrities. So on Friday...
Trump endorses J.D. Vance against GOP advice
Former President Trump announces his endorsement for J.D. Vance, an Ohio Senate hopeful. Some key Ohio Republican activists have pushed back on the suspected endorsement, writing a letter to Trump hoping he would change his mind on the decision.
www.nbcnews.com
Of course many of Trump's followers were dismayed, pointing out that Vance had called himself a "never-Trumper" in 2016... And then today a one time friend of Vance's named Josh McLaurin released texts that Vance had sent him in 2016, when they were both concerned about what Trump represented...Check out Vance here. Not sure what will be more damaging to Vance- referring to Trump as a possible Hitler, or describing the GOP as the party of "lower-income, lower-education white people"...
Now someone tweeted that Trump put out a statement saying he forgave Vance, and he's since shown he's a MAGA warrior (aka he expressed approval for the Big Lie) But I did see this blurb from NBC announcing that Jr has announced he'll be campaigning with Vance at an upcoming rally in Ohio... Tell me that won't be AWKWARD...
Trump Jr. to campaign with J.D. Vance in Ohio following father's endorsement
The former president's son will headline a town hall forum for Vance near Cleveland.
www.nbcnews.com
I'm thinking the announcement came before the tweet was released...
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