Vice President JD Vance will return to his home state ahead of the midterm election as Republicans scramble to energize their voters.
Vance will headline a rally at the Allen County Regional Airport in Lima
on Oct. 9, according to the Republican National Committee. The event begins at 12:15 p.m., with the vice president scheduled to speak at 1:40 p.m.
Vance's visit is the second of three Ohio rallies in just 10 days. President Donald Trump appeared at an event near Dayton on Oct. 3 and will head to Youngstown on Oct. 12.
"If you don’t mind, please pretend that I’m on the ballot," Trump told supporters at a Dayton-area high school during his most recent visit.
The appearances indicate Republicans are sweating over Ohio's close race for U.S. Senate between Sen. Jon Husted and former Sen. Sherrod Brown. Trump decisively won the Buckeye State three times, but polls suggest voters are frustrated by the cost of living and high gas prices.
Husted and Brown are vying for the Senate seat held by Vance before he became vice president. The outcome could shape which party controls the Senate for the remainder of Trump's term.
And that's not the only race attracting national attention. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton are locked in a heated contest for governor to replace term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine.
State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@usatodayco.com or @haleybemiller on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Vice President JD Vance to hold Ohio rally amid tight Senate race
