Republicans thought they'd solved their problem in OH-09 after their 2022 candidate pretty much shit the bed with a disastrous campaign against Marcy Kaptur. The newly-drawn district is now heavily gerrymandered to give a Republican advantage. Unfortunately for them, Majewski proved to be a dud, a scandal-tarred QAnon conspiracy nut who was at the January 6 Capitol riot, and who also lied about his military service.
About a month ago though, Craig Reidel called Trump "arrogant" and that was enough for the MAGA crowd to rip him a new one on social media. Seeing the writing on the wall, Stefanik (4th in GOP leadership) pulled the plug on his candidacy. She hasn't endorsed Majewski or their new attempt, Ohio state Rep. Derek Merrin who just entered the race before Christmas.
Source: Politico
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik is abandoning a top party recruit in a swing Ohio district after he was caught on tape calling Donald Trump "arrogant."
"I was very disappointed in his inappropriate comments regarding President Trump," Stefanik wrote of Craig Riedel on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday.
"As we begin 2024, my focus is on ensuring we nominate the strongest candidates on the ballot who are committed to electing President Trump this November and expanding our House GOP Majority," the New York Republican added.
Riedel, a former state representative, was the party's preferred pick to take on longtime Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur until audio was leaked in December that showed Riedel calling Trump "arrogant" and vowing not to endorse him. Stefanik's pulled endorsement, which she initially announced back in July, further signals that his path to the nomination will get tougher.
“I think he is arrogant. I don’t like the way he calls people names. I just don’t think that’s very becoming of a president,” Riedel said of Trump in the recording, the date of which is unclear. Riedel quickly endorsed Trump after the audio leaked.
The incriminating audio from Dec. 8. That looks like Majewski on Kirk's show, a MAGA favorite.
The sorrowful disappointment from Stefanik.
