COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan cruised his way to his party's nomination for an open Senate seat Tuesday and will now take on the winner of one of the most contentious and closely watched Republican primaries in the nation.
Author and venture capitalist JD Vance is seen as the GOP frontrunner in the race to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman after receiving former President Donald Trump's late-stage support, capping a bitter and expensive contest that, at one point, saw two candidates nearly come to blows on a debate stage. The race is seen as a critical early test of Trump's endorsement power as the midterm primary season kicks into high gear.
Ryan was heavily favored to win his three-way Democratic primary against progressive Morgan Harper, a former consumer protection attorney, and Columbus activist and tech exec Traci Johnson. But he is expected to face an uphill battle this fall in a state that was once a political bellwether but voted for Trump twice by an 8-point margin.