Will Trump's final campaign push help Ohio Republican Mike DeWine?
Ohio Republican state Attorney General Mike DeWine is hoping to get a last minute push from President Trump at a rally in Cleveland, one day before the midterm elections. DeWine is in the midst of a tough race for governor against Democrat Richard Cordray, who served as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under former President Barack Obama.
President Trump has been talking a lot about immigration ahead of the midterms, but reporter Jessie Balmert of The Cincinnati Enquirer told CBSN that in Ohio, the focus will be on the economy and keeping Republicans in control. There's already a Republican governor and state legislature.
He noted that DeWine hasn't been either a strong supporter of the president or a vocal critic, like fellow Republican Gov. John Kasich.
"You have people who like John Kasich, you have people who like Donald Trump, and I think Mike DeWine wants voters from both parties to vote for him and so I think it's a little bit of an awkward spot for him trying to appeal to both groups of people," Balmert said.
On the Democratic side, Cordray has aligned himself with Obama. He's also gotten support from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who campaigned for him last week. But like his competitor, he hasn't positioned himself as an outspoken critic of the president.
"He's saying he would work with the president when it makes sense for Ohio and he wouldn't when it doesn't make sense for Ohio," Balmert said. "You see a lot of focus on the independent voters or those middle-of-the-road voters in Ohio because both campaigns are trying to pick them up right now."
Balmert said President Trump will be a key issue for Ohio voters, whether they like him or not. But like in many states, health care could be the biggest issue for voters at the polls. Kasich expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which Cordray supports. DeWine has said he would seek to reform Medicaid expansion, and supports adding work requirements.
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