Hillbilly Elegy author and venture capitalist J.D. Vance is giving "serious consideration" to a Senate run in Ohio after former Republican frontrunner Josh Mandel dropped out of the race, according to a report published Wednesday.
Vance is talking with Republican leaders in Ohio and Washington, D.C. as he considers whether or not to throw his hat in the ring and run for the Republican nomination, Buzzfeed reports. The Republican nominee will likely face currently serving Sen. Sherrod Brown (D.).
Republican frontrunner Josh Mandel announced last week he was dropping out of the race as a result of issues with his wife's health. Mandel had challenged Brown in 2012 and lost.
An adviser to Vance, Jai Chabria, is with the author in Washington for his meetings.
"The phone hasn’t stopped ringing since Friday," Chabria said.
"The amount of support for J.D. Vance is incredible," Chabria said. "People are starting to realize he has the best message to beat Sherrod Brown. J.D. is giving serious consideration toward this, because there are very serious people asking him to run."
BuzzFeed noted Hillbilly Elegy, a memoir about the Appalachian values of Vance's upbringing, was seen as key to understanding white working-class voters who supported now President Donald Trump in 2016. Before attending college, law school and writing the memoir, Vance enlisted in the Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq.
Rep. Jim Renacci has also said he would be interested in running for the Republican nomination if he were to receive Trump's support. Renacci is currently running in a crowded field for the Republican nomination for governor.