Marjorie Taylor Greene endorses JD Vance in Ohio Senate race

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) endorsed J.D. Vance’s Senate bid in Ohio on Tuesday, giving the “Hillbilly Elegy” author and venture capitalist the backing of one of the far-right’s most prominent elected officials.

“Our country is being taken over by an unholy alliance of leftwing radicals and corporate oligarchs who seek to undermine our God-given rights, destroy traditional American values and force us all to live under their woke authoritarianism,” Greene said in a statement. 

“It’s time to start electing strong conservatives like JD, who put People over Politicians and understand exactly what we’re up against, and don’t just talk a good game on cable news, but who actually have the courage to fight back against the radical left to save America and stop Communism.”

Greene’s endorsement of Vance is one that would have appeared unlikely not all that long ago. The writer was once a vocal critic of former President Trump, but has since walked back his criticism and has sought to cast himself as a warrior for Trump’s political movement.

Greene is a controversial figure, even among Republicans. She has regularly touted conspiracy theories and was permanently suspended from Twitter earlier this month for repeatedly violating the social media platform’s misinformation policies on COVID-19.

Greene was also stripped of her House committee assignments shortly after taking office last year amid an uproar over past incendiary comments, including apparently endorsing violence against Democrats. 

Still, the first-term Georgia Republican has carved out a reputation as one of Trump’s most ardent supporters in Washington and is broadly popular among the most loyal segments of the former president’s political base. 

“I am so honored to have Marjorie’s support,” Vance said. “I’ve gotten to know her over the last year, and she’s precisely the type of leader we need in our party: genuine, honest, and courageous. Unfortunately, there are too few like her, and so long as that’s the case, Republicans may win an election from time to time, but we’ll never do the difficult work of truly taking our country back from the leftwing mob and the woke corporations.”

Greene’s endorsement is a big get for Vance, who is competing in a crowded field of Republican candidates, many of whom are eager to prove their pro-Trump bona fides. Other contenders for the GOP Senate nod in Ohio include former state Republican Party Chairwoman Jane Timken, former state Treasurer Josh Mandel, businessman Bernie Moreno and investment banker Mike Gibbons.

While Ohio has lurched to the right in recent years, Democrats see an opportunity to flip the Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R). Rep. Tim Ryan is the current front-runner for the Democratic nod, though he’s facing primary opposition from progressive activist Morgan Harper.