Two Ohio House races being voted on today will test both political parties - Donald Trump's sway on Republican Party and the moderate and liberal divisions among Democrats
Two special House elections in Ohio being held Tuesday will test both political parties: Donald Trump's sway on the Republican Party and the moderate and liberal divisions among Democrats.
The primary contests in a Republican-leaning district near Columbus and a Democratic-leaning one near Cleveland have turned into proxy wars with both drawing big-name politicians and thousands in outside spending.
In Ohio's 15th congressional district, Trump is trying to make his weight felt in the crowded field of 11 primary contenders trying to replace Republican Steve Stivers, who resigned in May.
Trump is backing coal lobbyist Mike Carey but the other candidates have their own big names supporters. Stivers has endorsed state Rep. Jeff LaRe to replace him.
'There's only one Trump, just like there's only one Steve Stivers,' LaRe told The Washington Post. 'At the end of the day we're all individuals. An endorsement doesn't make the candidate.'
Donald Trump is trying to make his weight felt in Ohio's crowded GOP primary in the 15th Congressional district - he has endorsed coal lobbyist Mike Carey
Other Republican candidates have big-name supporters: Former Rep. Steve Stivers, who used to hold the seat, has endorsed state Rep. Jeff LaRe to replace him
In Ohio's 11th Congressional district, Democrats have gone to war in the race to replace Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge, who President Joe Biden named as his housing secretary.
The top two contenders have drawn big names from both wings of the Democratic Party: Nina Turner is a progressive favorite endorsed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez while Shontel Brown has the backing of main stream Democrats like Hillary Clinton.
Winners of the August primaries will face off in the Nov. 2 general election.
Carey was a little known contender until he earned Trump's endorsement. He is a close friend of Corey Lewandowski, Trump's former campaign manager.
The former president has touted his blessing as the political equivalent of a golden ticket. But he's struggling to redeem his record after suffering an embarrassing lose in Texas when his candidate, Susan Wright, the widow of the congressman from the Texas seat who died of COVID in February, lost to another Republican in the runoff.
There's an assortment of other candidates running the Republican primary for the 15th district - all with their own big name backers:
A pro-Trump super PAC has put $350,000 into ads backing Carey.
Trump joined a tele-rally for Carey on July 20 and complained that other candidates were trying to suggest they also had his endorsement.
'He's the only candidate in the race that has my complete and total endorsement,' Trump said of Carey on the call, according to Bloomberg News. 'I know Mike Carey, he's a true outsider, he's a true fighter, he's a warrior, and he's going to win.'
But it's unclear what impact the crowded field could have on the former president's pick.
Trump is planning to get involved in a series of Republican primaries headed into next year's midterm election, particularly targeting those GOP lawmakers who supported his second impeachment.
Democrats are at war in the primary in the 11th Congressional district - Bernie Sanders has endorsed Nina Turner, a progressive favorite
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has also endorsed Turner and campaigned for her in Cleveland last month
Shontel Brown has been endorsed by main stream Democrats like Hillary Clinton
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, Turner and Brown emerged as the leading contenders among 13 Democrats running in the 11th district.
Big name Democrats have flooded the district as the primary winner is expected to be the victor in the November general election.
Rep. Jim Clyburn was in to campaign for Brown while Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stumped for Turner.
Brown, a member Cuyahoga County Council, has touted her support for Biden and his agenda.
Turner is a former state senator and a leading Sanders supporter. She already has a national profile among progressives, who see her as a needed force in Washington D.C. to counter Biden's more moderate tendencies.
Sanders, campaigning for her on Saturday, said: 'I would have come (to the district) because Nina is a close personal friend of mine and somebody I admire. But the real reason I am here is that we desperately need her in the U.S. Congress.'
The Democratic contest has gotten nasty.
Turner is running a commercial questions Brown's ethics and ends with the image of a jail door slamming.
Brown has touted Turner as too much of an outsider and too critical of Biden to accomplish anything in Congress.
Special elections usually see small turnout compared to midterm or presidential years. A candidate's name - or the prominence of their endorsers - can be a heavy factor in determining the outcome.