Former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci isn't lying when he says on campaign literature that he "has been endorsed by President Donald Trump." But that endorsement was in 2018 for U.S. Senate – not his current bid for Ohio governor.
Renacci's campaign is distributing fliers for his gubernatorial bid that tout the Republican as "an American first conservative who supports and has been endorsed by President Donald Trump" who is "pro-medical freedom," "pro-free and fair elections" and "pro-border wall."
Renacci is running in the GOP primary against Gov. Mike DeWine, Canal Winchester farmer Joe Blystone and former state Rep. Ron Hood. Former President Donald Trump has not endorsed anyone in the race – and it's possible that he simply won't.
Trump did endorse Renacci in his 2018 bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who ultimately won that race by nearly 7 percentage points. Renacci spokesman said that's what the literature is referencing.
Trump has been testy about candidates overstating his support or his endorsement. In 2020, Trump's campaign asked Ohio Senate candidate Melissa Ackison to remove a picture of them together from her website.
Renacci spokesman Tom Weyand said the campaign wasn't implying that Trump has endorsed Renacci for Ohio governor.
"That’s not the intent of that," Weyand said. "I just think it states that he has been endorsed by the president in the past."
Original source can be found here.
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