- Trump had an “Apprentice” meeting with four Senate candidates from the Ohio Republican Party.
- All the candidates did their best to prove their loyalty to the former president.
- A potential endorsement by Trump could give a candidate a huge advantage among Republican voters.
- See more stories on the Insider business page.
Former President Donald Trump may be away from his old New York boardroom, but on Wednesday he gave four Senate candidates from the Ohio Republican Party the type of barbecue illustrated on his longtime reality show “The Apprentice “, according to Politico.
Prior to a fundraiser at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump made candidates – former state treasurer Josh Mandel, former state government president Jane Timken, investment banker Mike Gibbons and businessman Bernie Moreno – sit together for a backstage meeting.
The four Republicans are expected to run for the Ohio Senate seat in 2022, which will be vacated by two-term Republican Senator Rob Portman at the end of his term.
The candidates were all in Florida to attend the Max Miller event, a Trump-backed candidate who seeks to oust Republican Representative Anthony Gonzalez in a primary and win the general election in Ohio’s heavily Republican 16th Congressional District.
Gonzalez was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in February for “inciting insurrection” for his role in the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill.
While the candidates spoke to the guests during the pre-dinner reception, one of Trump’s advisers informed the candidates that the former president wanted to speak to them privately.
When everyone was together, the meeting turned into a 15-minute free attack for everyone and statements made to prove loyalty to the former president, according to the report.
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Mandel, who previously ran for the Senate in 2012 and was defeated by Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, reportedly said he was “crushing” Timken in the polls, while Timken bragged about his popular support while leading the state party.
Gibbons reminded Trump of his donations to the ex-president’s campaign, while Moreno said his daughter was part of Trump’s campaign team for 2020.
With Trump planning to play an active role in the 2022 midterm elections, an endorsement could put aside the race for a particular candidate, and they are all openly competing with each other for the support of the former president.
A person familiar with the meeting told Politico that the event was like “The Hunger Games”, the dystopian trilogy of books and films; candidates also had to sit at a circular table facing each other.
When Trump asked the group how the race was going, Timken mentioned that he discussed his work to re-elect the former president.
Trump responded by pointing out that Timken had initially supported Gonzalez after the congressman voted for his impeachment, prompting Timken to say that she “cleared” her position later calling the deputy resigns, according to the report.
However, another person familiar with the meeting said that Trump was just “teasing” Timken about his earlier comments on Gonzalez.
The biggest source of tension was reportedly between Timken and Mandel, who have already launched their campaigns, while Gibbons and Moreno have not yet formally started their respective campaigns.
Mandel gave his candidacy a strong boost, saying he “hired a bunch of killers” for his campaign team.
“I am a murderer and we are going to win the primary and then the general,” he said.
Trump also showed a high level of interest in Republican governor Mike DeWine, whom the former president criticized after the governor referred to President Joe Biden as “president-elect” after the 2020 elections were called last year.
DeWine is running for re-election in 2022.