Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine: I haven't asked former President Donald Trump for his support

Republicans running for U.S. Senate are aggressively courting former President Donald Trump's favor, but GOP Gov. Mike DeWine hasn't asked for his endorsement.

"I've not had a discussion with the president where I've asked him for his support," DeWine said during an interview with the USA TODAY Network Ohio bureau.

In fact, DeWine has never been to Trump's famous Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago.

But Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has, twice. Husted said in an interview that he spoke with Trump during a recent wedding at the resort but did not ask the former president to endorse the DeWine-Husted ticket.

“I visited with the president when I was there for that wedding," said Husted, who attended the wedding of Brian Schottenstein and Toria Aronoff, the granddaughter of former Ohio Senate President Stan Aronoff.

More: In battling COVID-19, Gov. DeWine infuriated some fellow Republicans. What does that mean for reelection?

DeWine's primary challenger, former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, hasn't asked for the endorsement either, spokesman Tom Weyland said.

"The president isn't going to endorse until it gets closer," Renacci said in a December interview. "I don't think he's going to anyone but me, but that also doesn't mean he's not going to endorse anyone at all. He may just stay out of this race."

The GOP gubernatorial contenders stand in stark contrast to Republicans running to replace Sen. Rob Portman. With the exception of state Sen. Matt Dolan, each key GOP contender has visited Trump's resort in search of the ex-president's coveted endorsement.

More: The power of the Trump endorsement: How the former president continues to influence Ohio

DeWine hasn't been a Trump Republican so much as a Republican who backed Trump. DeWine served as a co-chair of Trump's re-election campaign in Ohio and accepted Trump's endorsement for governor in 2018. DeWine frequently defended Trump's positions.

But Trump also hinted at a primary challenge for DeWine after the governor said President Joe Biden had won the 2020 election. DeWine was critical of Trump after the Jan. 6 riot. And Trump supporters booed Husted for suggesting they wear masks at a rally.

Just because they haven't expressly asked doesn't mean any Republican in the governor's race would turn a Trump endorsement down.

"We're always looking for support from a lot of people," DeWine said.

Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: DeWine hasn't been to Mar-a-Lago, sought Trump endorsement