Boyd Boone and Ruth Boone, long-time Ohio Republican voters are eager to elect their GOP governor. They’re not so certain about the Senate.

Both are skeptical about JD Vance, a venture capitalist and author who became the Republican nominee with the backing of former President Donald Trump.

Boyd, 80, who lives on a farm near Ashville, said that he doesn’t like Boyd at all. “I don’t think he cares about Ohio. He just believes he will be the senator.

Ruth, 77 and he both said that they enjoy what they hear from Democrat Tim Ryan (10-term Congressman) — although they have reservations about Ryan’s support for abortion rights.

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Ruth said that “it’s going down to the wire,” as she recalled her decision. She also picked up a yard sign from Kroger parking lots canvassers for Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

This ambivalence highlights a surprising dynamic at Ohio, where Vance hopes to ride to Washington to counter national discontent with Democrats. The race is now more competitive than expected, with less than two weeks to Election Day. Vance could still win in a state Trump won by 8 percentage points twice. However, most polls show Ryan and Vance roughly tied, even though Ryan is the incumbent Republican governor. His Democratic opponent Mike DeWine is ahead by double digits.

Ryan campaigned recently in a red-and-white windbreaker and sneakers and stressed his working class roots. Vance was cast as an outsider and “extremist”, more interested in winning a title than serving Ohioans.

Sometimes, however, the Democrat’s blue-collar campaign sounds like a broadside against its own party.

He said, “We need to get this nation back focused on how working people are feeling every day,” at the union hall in Niles. He was a proud Nilesan and peppered his speech with profanities. He told the union organizers and Democratic activists that he didn’t care who he voted for.

Ryan can sometimes sound less like a candidate to the Senate than a prophet warning national Democrats about the danger of disaster if the working-class voters who once constituted the core of the party’s base are abandoned.

Ryan stated, his voice straining, as he was flanked at P.J. by labor leaders. McIntyre was later seen at an Irish pub in Cleveland.

This message resonated with voters such as Christine Varwig (54), a Toledo school board member, who stated that Ryan spoke her “language.”

Varwig stated, “He gets us,” at a Toledo backyard union gathering. Ryan, an ex-quarterback, was seen to be throwing around a football and drinking beer while he played tug-of-war. He lost, but won a rematch. “When he speaks about his grandfather, it reminds of me of my grandparents, so we can relate.”

It was evident that Ryan is fighting for his state. A few weeks ago, several hundred Vance supporters gathered at the Thirsty Cowboy in Republican stronghold Medina to drink Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and get fired up about Ryan’s actions.

Vance stated, “I think people have had enough,” as he lamented high grocery prices, rising gas prices, and a porous border. He also blamed Washington’s failure leadership for the country’s woes.

Vance, who was criticized by the GOP for virtually disappearing from the campaign trail this summer, has now crossed the state alongside conservative firebrands like Ted Cruz of Texas and Donald Trump. Jr. Vance talks at events about his grandmother’s struggle with opioid addiction. He also discusses his childhood with his grandparents. Ryan is his spokesman. Ryan has attempted to portray Ryan as a fraud, trying to paint Ryan as a moderate who votes with President Joe Biden, a theme Republicans have used heavily in their ads.

“My message is quite clear: Tim Ryan has been elected for twenty years, ladies, gentlemen, he’s had a chance.” “Let’s send him home to Youngstown, and force him into a job,” Vance stated as he campaigned with Cruz later that afternoon outside Hanoverton’s Spread Eagle Tavern. Several hundred had gathered there on a cool fall afternoon alongside several hulking tractor tractors.

Lettie Davis (63), a woman who works at a local dealership for cars, was among the crowd. There, a cardboard cutout of Trump greets customers, but business has been hit hard by supply chain problems and high interest rates.

Vance is someone she loves, she stated. He’s very down to earth which I love. He has much to offer his mom and his past. He’s just like us all.”

Steven Clifford (68), a Stark County Republican, said that he is doing well for a first-time candidate.

Trump’s endorsement of Vance, in spite of years of Vance’s criticisms, helped Vance win the nomination in a highly competitive GOP primary. He became one of Trump’s first success stories and helped the defeated president consolidate his position as a GOP kingmaker. However, it also provoked fierce local opposition from rival candidates who encouraged Trump to reconsider.

Peggy Caratelli (64), from East Palestine, was initially supportive of Josh Mandel’s rival Vance. She said that it took her some time for Trump to change her mind. She is now fully onboard.

“Some of us weren’t happy with (the endorsement. We believe Trump is smarter than us. She said that there was a reason. “You know that (Vance) was anti-Trumper. He was quick to explain why he felt this way and why it changed his mind.”

“I believe he has seen the error in his ways.” Don Ridge, 65 years old, of Winona, said that he forgives him and sees similarities between Trump’s actions and Vance.

Ryan spoke out after a long campaign day and said that he is confident that he will prevail. This was partly due to winning over Republicans and independents who support party moderates such as DeWine or the retiring Senator. Rob Portman, but are now turning their back on Trump’s brand. He hopes that some DeWine voters will also split their ballots and vote for him.

He said that voters like his independence and willingness to fight for their party.

Vance dismisses publicly his opponent’s chances.

“I believe the media has tried to portray a story that Tim Ryan was somehow keeping this race close. He stated that he believes we will win, and that he thinks we will win convincingly in an interview.

Ryan was largely ignored throughout the whole thing by the National Democratic Party, as other groups focus on protecting vulnerable incumbents or flipping other Republikans.