Newcomer joins crowded GOP field
Just when the field seemed set, another Republican jumped into the race for U.S. Senate.
Dan Kiley, a Cincinnati investment adviser, started his candidacy just ahead of Wednesday’s filing deadline.
“I’ve been in my new career as a public servant for three days,” Kiley, 58, said Thursday.
He joins U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Wadsworth; Cleveland investment banker Mike Gibbons; Melissa Ackison of Marysville; and Don Elijah Eckhart of Galloway in the race. The winner of the May 8 primary will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in the general election.
The GOP Senate primary underwent a tectonic shift last month when state Treasurer Josh Mandel quit the race. Mandel had lost to Brown in 2012 and he was drawing national attention — and money — for a rematch.
Renacci and Gibbons have been jostling since for the support of Trump voters.
Kiley wouldn’t comment on Trump directly. He said he strongly supports the administration’s financial policies.
“What I would like to do is be a unifier,” he said.
A graduate of Harvard University, Kiley is married and has four children.
He said he will initially fund his campaign himself and he’s in the process of hiring a staff. He said, though, that he expects to attract small donors and contributors from his base of former clients as the campaign progresses.
“I think my background and skill set and pretty are wellaligned with being a senator,” he said.