VANDALIA — President Donald Trump will hold a midterm rally Saturday at Butler High School in the Dayton suburb of Vandalia, according to the Republican National Committee — but at least one high-profile Ohio Republican won’t be in the crowd.
GOP congressional candidate Eric Conroy will not attend the rally. Conroy, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman for the Cincinnati-area seat, has described himself as “an independent” voice for Greater Cincinnati, though he has said he would welcome the president’s help in driving Republican turnout.
Conroy attended the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas on Sept. 9 and spoke before Vice President JD Vance when Vance visited the Cleveland-Cliffs Middletown Works on Aug. 21. Landsman needled his opponent over the decision: “When Trump shows up this weekend, he will be right there by his side. If he’ll go all the way to Dallas, he’ll go to Dayton.”
The rally comes as some Republicans in competitive districts have begun criticizing Trump’s policies ahead of the November election, with voters frustrated by rising gas prices and mortgage rates. It was not immediately clear whether other area Republicans, including Rep. Mike Turner, plan to attend — Turner’s office did not respond to inquiries. The rally is expected to spotlight the Senate race between Republican incumbent Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown, which could help decide control of the Senate.
