YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - It's tight race among Ohio GOP Senate candidates who are campaigning down to the wire.

J.D. Vance has Trump's endorsement and is leading in the polls heading into Tuesday's primary.

The Trafalgar Group's new poll out Monday shows Vance ahead with 26.2-percent followed by Matt Dolan right behind him at 22-percent and Josh Mandel rounding out the top three with 20.8-percent.

The Real Clear Politics average also shows Vance at the top with about 26.2-percent.
With a crowded field of candidates to choose from, it could be a close race with an estimated 25-percent of republican voters still undecided.

"The main candidate in that race is Donald Trump," Bertram de Souza said, 21 News Political Analyst.

"It will say a lot about the kind of influence that Donald Trump has on the Republican Party."

During a rally Sunday, Trump misspoke and confused Vance's name with Mandel.

"We've endorsed J.P., right? J.D. Mandel and he's doing great." Trump said.

Bertram believes the race is still too close to settle on a clear frontrunner.

Former Ohio State Senator Capri Cafaro joined WFMJ Weekend Today on Sunday to weigh in on the top statewide races to watch.

Capri doesn't believe it's a slam dunk for Vance going into the primary.

"I think that there are people that are going to really take a second look, because JD

Vance hasn't been in Ohio, because he does have this kind of elitist quality that he sold his story to Hollywood," Cafaro said. "I think that may actually benefit someone like a Matt Dolan."

Valley Congressman Tim Ryan is favored to win on the democratic side, but de Souza and Cafaro agree it will be tough for a democrat win in November.

"It's going to be an uphill battle for any democrat on the statewide ticket, because we are a center right state," she said.

RACE FOR GOVERNOR

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is polling ahead of his competitors at 46 percent.

"As the incumbent Republican governor, DeWine should be doing a lot better than he seems to be doing," de Souza said. "Previous republican governors when they ran for re-election ran unopposed or did very, very well."

He believes this election will be a referendum on DeWine's handling of the pandemic including the restrictions and statewide shutdowns.