The Republican front-runner for the U.S. Senate race against incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown is dropping out of the race.
State Treasurer Josh Mandel is dropping out of the U.S. Senate race saying, in a written statement, he’s needed at home because his wife is ill. Mandel was hoping for a second battle with Brown, who beat Mandel by 6 points in 2012.
Mandel’s departure leaves Cleveland businessman Mike Gibbons, who has been in the race since last summer. Gibbons has received some endorsements, but Mandel was leading him in both money and polls.
But other candidates could jump in. Term-limited Gov. John Kasich’s strategist has said he will not run, but Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor is in the three-way race for governor and is far behind the other two candidates in fundraising.
The filing deadline is next month.
