(Bloomberg) -- Former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel holds an early lead in the 2022 Republican Senate primary, according to the first independent poll of the contest, where GOP contenders are vying for former President Donald Trump's support.
Mandel had 21.4% support, followed by venture capitalist and “Hillbilly Elegy” author JD Vance at 14.9%, with businessman Mike Gibbons at 11.9% and former Ohio Republican Party Chairwoman Jane Timken at 10.4%, according to the poll taken Dec. 12-15 by the Trafalgar Group.
The leading candidates have focused on increasingly populist and conservative messages and their support for Trump, trying to woo his supporters and win his endorsement. Gibbons, Mandel and two groups backing Mandel have even attacked Vance for 2016 comments, that he now disavows, critical of the former president.
State Senator Matt Dolan, who has positioned himself in the mold of retiring Senator Rob Portman, and businessman Bernie Moreno were in single digits. A full 34.4% of respondents were undecided or backing another candidate, the survey showed.
“It's anybody's game at this point,” said pollster Robert Cahaly of the Atlanta-based Trafalgar Group.
Trump has not indicated a preference in the race but told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Dec. 8 that “I'll endorse at some point.”
The survey of 1,053 respondents had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.99 percentage points.
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