Trump’s Unusual Praise of Jon Husted Is Reportedly a Campaign Strategy

Donald Trump’s repeated comments about Ohio Senator Jon Husted’s athletic build are more than a running joke on the campaign trail, according to Republican insiders quoted by the Daily Beast. They say Trump believes the attention could help energize voters behind Husted as he campaigns to keep his Senate seat. The report describes Husted as having faced an enthusiasm gap before Trump began drawing attention to his former college football career. At a rally in Youngstown on October 12, Trump said that former NFL coach Jon Gruden had told him about Husted’s football achievements at the University of Dayton. Trump then recalled taking a closer look at the senator’s physique, a remark that prompted laughter from the crowd. A Republican official working to support Husted reportedly described him as a “milquetoast” candidate and said his appointment by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had not, in the official’s view, given him an especially strong political launch. The source suggested Trump’s attention provided a memorable talking point at a time when Husted needed more voter enthusiasm. The Daily Beast reported that Husted’s numbers improved in some polls after Trump’s Ohio appearance, and that the president was told about the shift. However, most polls cited in the article continued to show Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown ahead. Rasmussen Reports, a pollster that Trump is known to follow, was an exception: its survey suggested Husted had gained six points after the rally. Trump continued making remarks about Husted’s build at later campaign appearances, including in Michigan. The account presents the comments as an unconventional effort to promote a Republican candidate, while noting that the reported polling movement has not erased the broader challenge Husted faces in the race.