Mike Carey, endorsed by Trump, wins GOP primary race in Ohio special election

Carey is expected to win the general election in November.
Mike Carey speaks at a rally hosted by former President Donald Trump after receiving his endorsement on June 26, 2021 in Wellington, Ohio. Carey is running for a seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers in Ohio's 15th Congressional District.
By Natalia Mittelstadt

Mike Carey, endorsed by former President Trump, won the Republican primary race in Ohio for a House special election on Tuesday.

Carey, an energy lobbyist, was practically unknown before Trump's endorsement among the dozen or so GOP candidates, The Hill reported. The Republican nominee is running for former GOP Rep. Steve Stivers' seat, who retired from the position in order to run the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

Other candidates, like former state Rep. Ron Hood and state Rep. Jeff LaRe, had been endorsed by Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul's political action committee and Stivers, respectively. Last week, Trump's political groups launched a $350,000 campaign for Carey on digital and television ads, along with targeted text messages, The Hill reported.

Carey's win followed a loss by a Trump-backed candidate, Susan Wright, in Texas last week for her late husband's congressional seat during a low-turnout election.

Carey is likley to win the seat in the November general election, as Stivers had won the seat in 2020 by about 26 points, according to The Hill.