LIMA — U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel is going all in on what he considers the three pillars of his senate candidacy; God, guns and Trump.
Ahead of a campaign rally in the Findlay gun store Buffalo Trading Company, Mandel told The Lima News he is sidestepping traditional Republican Party campaign events catering to donors at expensive dinners in favor of campaigning in churches and gun shops.
Running on what he calls being pro-God, guns and Trump, Mandel is one of several Republicans hoping to fill the seat currently held by Sen. Rob Portman, who announced he wouldn’t seek reelection last January.
“I’m pro-God, guns and Trump,” Mandel said. “Being pro-God means protecting Judeo Christian values and the sanctity of life by overturning Roe v. Wade. Protecting our Second Amendment rights is what pro-gun means and being pro-Trump means advancing the ‘America First’ agenda.”
Mandel has served two terms as Ohio’s treasurer from 2011 to 2019. Before running for treasurer, he served one-term as the state representative for the 17th Ohio House district from 2007-2011.
Mandel says for senate to protect and defend Judeo-Christian beliefs, of which he says under assault by liberals, radical democrats and weaker RINOs (Republican in Name Only). He says “abortion is murder and overturning Roe v. Wade is the most important fight we face” and sees himself as the fighter conservatives need in Washington, D.C.
“America was founded under strong Judeo-Christian values; not muslim, not atheism,” Mandel said. “The Judeo-Christian acknowledgment of good and evil is the bedrock of what the country was founded on. America needs warriors and reinforcers in the house and senate to support members like Rep. Jim Jordan, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Donald Trump to put America first.”
His pro-gun stance includes his belief that gun laws and licensing should not be a requirement for lawful gun ownership. Instead, Mandel argues that the Second Amendment guarantees all citizens the right to own and carry firearms without government restrictions.
“We have all the licensing that we need,” Mandel stated. “It’s called constitutional carry and means law-abiding citizens have the right to carry without government permission.”
While talking about gun ownsership rights, Mandel pivoted to masking and pro-liberty extending to the freedom from mask or vaccination mandates. He argued individual rights have been trampled on during the pandemic and that vaccines and masking mandates should not be made by government or school officials.
“Stopping masking and vaccination mandates schools is another one of the issues I will fight to do when elected,” Mandel stated. “The power to make that decision should be left solely up to the parents. School administrators, bureaucrats and government officials should not have any say in what is best for someone else’s child.”
Voters will elect one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on Nov. 8 with the primary elections scheduled for May 3.
