Ohio Republicans try to regroup in crucial state for Trump

CINCINNATI (AP) — Complications pummeled Ohio Republicans this week as they sought to put up a united front headed into the GOP's national convention.

One of their best-known politicians threw his support behind Democrat Joe Biden, their Republican state attorney general challenged the Trump administration, and the president took on an iconic Ohio company in an area of the state where loyalties to job security ran higher than to party four years ago.

With early voting set to begin in less than seven weeks, Democrats are enthused about their possibilities in a state crucial to Trump, one he carried by 8 points over Hillary Clinton in 2016. It's a striking turnaround for a party that just last year was wondering if the one-time swing state had moved out of the reach.

Democrats have seen progress since then in the 2018 mid-term voting and 2019 local elections, including in key suburban areas. Trump's call Wednesday to boycott Akron-based Goodyear Tire while inaccurately claiming the company had announced a ban of MAGA hats gives the party new material as it tries to return struggling blue-collar workers to the fold who Trump did surprisingly well with in 2016.

Jane Timkin, the Republican Party chairwoman who ousted an ally of former Gov. John Kasich for that job, was dismissive of Kasich's speech endorsing Biden at the DNC and expects momentum to build for Trump.

“I feel pretty good,” she told The Associated Press. "The president has a 95% approval rating among Republicans and, aside from folks like John Kasich, who was a never-Trumper, I think the rest of the party is very united and excited about re-electing President Trump.” A June 28 Quinnipiac University poll placed the figure at 92% among Ohio registered voters, with 93% of Democrats favoring Biden and independents divided 44% for Trump and 40% for...