Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges and Jane Timken, the Stark County Republican who wants to unseat him, are lining up their supporters as they go into the party’s leadership vote next month.
One conservative leader who opposed Borges before is firmly behind the challenger.
Portage County Tea Party leader Tom Zawistowski tried and failed to beat Borges for the party’s chairman position in 2013. He got support from a small but vocal wing of the party.
Zawistowski doesn’t get a vote, but says he supports Jane Timken because he thinks the feud between Borges and Donald Trump’s Ohio campaign manager Bob Paduchik earlier this year will be a problem.
“Now with Paduchik getting a spot at the RNC, not having a good relationship with the RNC, that’s just bad.”
Gov. John Kasich – who helped Borges become the party’s chair – has said he backs Borges.
Borges has told the committee that will select the chair that he has the leaders of the Ohio House and Senate as well as several members of Congress in his corner. Timken says she has Trump’s support.
