The Republican Primary
May 2, 2022
Ohio’s Senatorial election is one of the most anticipated fights in the 2022 cycle, and that is why our Jewish Political Guide is monitoring it closely. This seat in the Senate is currently held by Rob Portman, but on Jan. 25, 2021, he announced he would not be running for re-election. This has paved the way for a hard-fought Republican primary, which will be the focus of our latest “State the Race” piece.
According to an April poll published by Blueprint Polling, State Senator Matt Dolan is leading the pack with 18%, followed closely by J.D. Vance at 17%, Mike Gibbons at 13%, and Josh Mandel at 12%. On the other hand, a Fox News poll saw J.D. Vance leading with 23%, followed by Josh Mandel with 18%, Mike Gibbons with 13%, and Senator Matt Dolan with 11%. So, let’s have a look at where each of these top contenders stands on issues important to Jewish voters.
J.D. Vance is a venture capitalist and the author of the Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. Vance has stated that he has tried to engage with the Jewish community in Ohio, however many people were concerned when he defended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) after she attended a white nationalist conference, saying that she “did nothing wrong.” Vance said that Rep. Greene was his “friend”, despite the fact that she has repeatedly made antisemitic comments and engaged in Holocaust trivialization. On Middle East policy, J.D. Vance has been vague in terms of specific propositions that he supports or would advocate for if elected. When referring to Israel, Vance has stated that “culturally, morally, politically, it is a real ally in the sense that we’re not just sort of sharing interests.” He argued that former President Trump’s legacy was “very positive for the region and certainly positive for the State of Israel,” but also added that “Americans have to be a little bit more humble about what we can accomplish in the Middle East.”
Josh Mandel, who is Jewish, is the former Ohio State Treasurer. In a recent interview, Mandel stated that “evangelical Christians in America” understand the biblical right to the land of Israel and that it is “frustrating sometimes when [he] talks to liberal Jews in America and they don’t get it.” Mandel has stated that he does “not believe in the separation of church and state” and caused controversy when he called for the shuttering of public schools by saying that schools should go “in churches and synagogues.” Last year, Mandel defended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene despite her controversial comments that leveraged antisemitic tropes and trivialized the Holocaust. He has said that he is “very worried” about reentering the Iran nuclear deal, arguing that “the Obama Iran deal was horrible for America, horrible for Israel, and dangerous for anyone who believes in peace and freedom.” Mandel embraced a conspiracy theory that “liberal forces” were behind the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
Mike Gibbons is an investment banker. Gibbons has been outspoken on some issues concerning the Jewish community, including completing a candidate questionnaire from the Jewish Insider. Over there, he stated that he supports public efforts to divest from companies that engage in BDS and that anti-Zionism is a form of antisemitism. In a 2021 interview, Gibbons argued that “it’s imperative that we support Israel in every regard.” He called himself a “Zionist since [he] knew what the term meant, and [he] strongly support[s] Israel.” Gibbons has stated that “hate crimes against Jews are a growing and underreported problem.” He believed that the “mainstream media typically report on only the hate crimes that fit their narrative and have clearly looked the other way on antisemitism.” In terms of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, Gibbons believes that there was “a combination of right-wing and left-wing radical elements that precipitated” it and that he “would not have voted to impeach” former President Trump.
Matt Dolan is an attorney and politician serving as a member of the Ohio Senate from the 24th district. When asked about concrete actions that he would take to address the rise in antisemitic incidents, Sen. Dolan said that he “would follow the lead of Rob Portman, who has also been able to draw federal dollars to make sure that places of worship, including synagogues, are protected.” When discussing Israel’s security, Sen. Dolan stated that “the Iron Dome is essential for Israel to protect itself, to protect its ability to be a stable force in the region,” and he added that it is important to send “the strongest signal that there is no daylight between the United States and Israel.” In reference to the January 6 attack on the Capitol, Sen. Dolan called it “a failure of leadership,” arguing that “starting with Donald Trump too many so-called leaders perpetuated lies about the outcome of the November 2020 election.”