Candidates in the highly competitive Ohio Senate Republican primary are campaigning in the valley.

Thursday afternoon, former Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel brought along former U.S. National Security Advisor, General Michael Flynn to a campaign stop in Cortland.

Josh Mandel's campaign calls it the "Faith and Freedom rally."
Nearly a hundred people jammed into the Top Notch Diner in Cortland to hear what Mandel and Guest general Michael Flynn had to say.
21 News spoke with Mandel before the rally. He said the biggest problem the nation faces right now is rising inflation and he will use his experience as state treasurer to help combat it.

"One of the things we need to do is reign in the reckless spending in Washington. When I was State Treasurer I took the entire state of Ohio's checkbook and I put it online. I said the tax payers had a right to know how their tax money being spent. And that's what i'm going to do in Washington too, bring a higher level of transparency and accountability. The last thing politicians want in Washington is sunlight," said Mandel.

General Flynn, President Trump's first National Security Advisor who resigned after accusations arose around conversation he had with Russia's then U.S. Ambassador, says Mandel is an honest man who knows how to fight for what is right.

"We have simply too many problems with deep levels of corruption in Washington D.C. and that has to be cleaned out. You really need fresh ideas and fresh leadership and Josh represents that," said Gen. Flynn.

In a recent average of polls, Google reports it's still a 3-way race between Mandel, J.D. Vance and Mike Gibbons to win the republican nomination.
Mandel says he's confident he can win over more votes before May 3rd.