Hours Before Debate, Gov. Mike DeWine Predicts Trump Will Win Ohio Again

Hours before the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic opponent Joe Biden is slated to start in Cleveland, Gov. Mike DeWine made a prediction that Trump would win Ohio again.

DeWine said he thinks Trump will win the Buckeye state in the 2020 general election, and its 18 electoral votes, at a press briefing Tuesday (September 29).

Trump won Ohio in the 2016 presidential election against Hillary Clinton, WKYC noted.

"I never bought into this argument that Ohio's become a Republican state," DeWine said. "I mean, Ohio's a swing state. The president won last time by nine points, I think, and that was a big, big, surprise. I think he's going to win this time in Ohio. I think it will be close, but I think he will win. But sure, we'll see. Ohio is certainly in play, but I think the president will carry Ohio.

The recent Baldwin Wallace University Great Lakes poll showed that more Ohioans favored Biden than Trump, though the votes were close.

Cleveland has taken steps to prepare for the debate Tuesday evening, including blocking off streets, ensuring COVID-19 guidelines and taking precautions in case of protests.

Leading up to the debates, there have been some public displays of support of — or opposition to — candidates. Tuesday morning, the United Steelworkers Union projected an unauthorized Biden-Harris campaign sign onto the Terminal Tower, which the building's owners confirmed wasn't authorized and said the group doesn't endorse a candidate. Days earlier, nine anti-Trump billboards were placed along the route from the airport to downtown Cleveland.

The debate will begin at 9 p.m. and is expected to last about an hour and a half.

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