More Than You Can Mandel?

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel announced last week that he will challenge two-term Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown in 2018, setting up the likelihood of a rare rematch in the Buckeye State. Mandel lost to Brown by 6.0 points in 2012 with Barack Obama carrying the state at the top of the ticket. If Mandel wins the GOP nomination he will be a part of just the second Ohio U.S. Senate rematch across the 39 contests conducted for the office during the direct election era. The only time voters have been treated to such a reprise of major party nominees was in 1976 when former appointed Democratic Senator Howard Metzenbaum defeated first-term GOP U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr. by 3.0 points. Taft had beaten Metzenbaum by 2.2 points six years prior in 1970.