They might be right-wingers, but they met in the middle of this stage.
Two Republican candidates to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate nearly came to blows at a debate Friday night.
Career politician Josh Mandel called investment banker Mike Gibbons a “p—” under his breath at the end of the heated exchange.
Mandel attacked Gibbons for “making billions of dollars by shipping Ohio businesses to China.” Gibbons shot back that Mandel didn’t understand business because he’d “never been in the private sector in your life.”
That brought Mandel, an ex-Marine, out of his seat, as he shouted back “Two tours in Iraq! Don’t tell me I haven’t worked!”
The moderator attempted to break it up, but the two continued yelling over each other, with Gibbons telling Mandel to “Back off, buddy” and Mandel countering with “You back off!”
As he turned away, Mandel muttered “Watch what happens. P—.”
Conservative group FreedomWorks hosted the debate in the Columbus suburb of Gahanna. Both candidates’ campaigns released statements trashing the other man in response to the standoff.
Mandel and Gibbons are leading the polls in Ohio’s Republican primary for Sen. Rob Portman’s seat. Portman is retiring at the end of his current term. The primary is scheduled for May 3, and all five candidates are still vying for the coveted endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
———
