A spokesperson for DeWine’s reelection campaign told Newsweek that the governor hasn’t yet made a decision about whether he’ll be at the rally and that his team is working to find a way to see if he can attend Saturday’s event.
The governor had previously told The Vindicator, a daily Ohio newspaper, that instead of appearing at the Covelli Centre, he would be supporting his granddaughters at their evening cross-country meet in Cedarville.
“It’s a special night for us,” the governor said on Friday. “They’re running under the lights, which is kind of unusual for cross-country.”
DeWine, who has had a fraught relationship with Trump, received the former president’s endorsement in a surprising twist last week.
In a September 7 statement, Trump said while “little” has been said about the state’s gubernatorial race, there is “an outstanding person running.”
“Mike DeWine, who quietly, but professionally, goes about doing his job and really well,” Trump said, adding that “Ohio has been in strong hands with the Economy ‘roaring,’ especially in the four years that I was President.”
In response to the endorsement, DeWine tweeted that he and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, who also received Trump’s endorsement, were “grateful for President Trump’s support! Thank you.”
Although DeWine repeatedly backed Trump in his White House bids and praised the Trump administration for its pandemic assistance, the governor seemed to upset Trump for recognizing President Joe Biden’s 2020 win and for saying that the former president “poured gas on the fire” regarding the January 6 Capitol riot.
At one point, Trump hinted that he might recruit a primary challenger against DeWine, tweeting, “Who will be running for governor of Ohio? Will be hotly contested!” but Trump ultimately steered clear of the primary, which DeWine easily won in May.
The last time Trump hosted a rally at the Covelli Centre, which was five years ago, he drew about 7,000 people, and this weekend’s rally is expected to draw a crowd just as large.
DeWine, who assumed office in 2019, is seeking a second term this year in a state that has become increasingly Republican in recent elections. As a conservative establishment figure, DeWine has remained popular among Ohio’s business community despite criticisms over his handling of the pandemic.
In November, DeWine will be up against Democrat Nan Whaley, who is widely expected to lose to DeWine.
On Saturday, Trump will campaign for GOP Senate nominee J.D. Vance, who was backed by the former president in the crowded Republican primary against state Senator Matt Dolan and veteran Josh Mandel. Polls show that Vance is in a tight race against Democrat and 10-term congressman Tim Ryan.
Vance is scheduled to appear as a speaker on Saturday alongside other congressional candidates, including Representatives Jim Jordan and Bill Johnson, as well as Max Miller, Madison Gesiotto Gilbert and J.R. Majewski.
