Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance said on Tuesday that he’ll accept the results of his midterm race, even as he continued to question the outcome of the 2020 election.
During a Fox News Town Hall on Tuesday, Vance, who has been endorsed by former President Trump, said he’ll trust the integrity of the state’s elections and will accept the results if he loses to his opponent, Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan (Ohio).
“I expect to win,” Vance said at a Columbus, Ohio, town hall hosted by Fox News. “But, of course, if things don’t go the way that I expect, I’ll support the guy who wins and I’ll try to be as as supportive as I possibly can, even accepting that we’re going to disagree on some big issues.”
Vance, like many other prominent GOP candidates this election cycle, has embraced Trump’s continued false claims that the 2020 election was stolen amid voter fraud.
During the same town hall, Vance dug his heels in when asked about his past comments casting doubt on the results of President Biden’s win.
“Yeah, look, I have said that, and I won’t run away from it,” he told the moderators.
Vance’s appearance came directly after a similar town hall with Ryan, who was pressed about his stances on issues like energy.
The Ryan-Vance showdown is one of the most closely watched Senate races of the midterm elections, and could potentially determine which party wins control of the upper chamber. Both candidates are vying to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who announced plans to leave his position last year.
Outgoing Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), a member of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6., 2021 attack at the Capitol, publicly endorsed Ryan on Tuesday during an interview on “PBS Newshour”.
Recent polling has shown Vance with a steady but narrow lead. The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, currently rates the race as “lean Republican.”