Mike Carey won the Republican primary in a special election for an open House seat in Ohio Tuesday night after securing the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Frontrunner Carey garnered 36 percent of the vote to 14 percent for Bob Peterson.
As a candidate, the former coal lobbyist branded himself an “outsider” challenging the political establishment, adopting the former president’s populist messaging to appeal to blue-collar rustbelt workers.
Carey’s website references the “America first” agenda, taking up the mantle of Trump like other rising GOP stars, such as Ohio senate candidate and author J.D. Vance. The site also displays in large highlighted text the endorsement Trump awarded to Carey.
In the “values worth fighting for” section of his website, Carey lists jobs growth, American energy independence, an education system absent Critical Race Theory, a secure border and enforced immigration laws, the Second Amendment, and the right to life at conception.
In a statement on the site, Carey promises to continue the work Trump started, such as demand “fair trade deals” and “fight to finish the wall.”
“Mike believes that we have enough politicians in Washington who are willing to take a knee or cave just to get a campaign check. Mike stood with President Trump when he took on the political establishment and said NO MORE – Drain the swamp!,” it reads.
Although out of office, Trump has been exercising his influence as a GOP kingmaker but questions emerged about his influence last week after Susan Wright, another Trump-backed Republican House contender, lost her special election for Texas district.
The loss reportedly prompted the former president’s team to intervene more significantly in Carey’s race. Trump hosted a last-minute rally for Carey ahead of the election, only the second promotional event with the endorser since July, according to Politico.