President Donald Trump brought his midterm campaign push to Ohio on Saturday night — and Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden brought the locker-room fire.
Appearing alongside Republican Sen. Jon Husted and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in Vandalia, Gruden delivered a roaring endorsement of his former college teammate, urging supporters to turn their enthusiasm into votes.
The rally at the Butler-Vandalia Student Activity Center combined Trump’s campaign pitch with a football reunion, giving Husted a character reference from a coach who knows something about winning. Local station WHIO reported that Gruden joined Husted onstage as Trump rallied support for Ohio Republicans ahead of November’s election.
Gruden Brings The Fire
Gruden, who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl championship, opened by reminding the crowd of his Ohio roots.
“I love you guys. I just came back for one reason and I’m from Ohio,” Gruden said, according to OutKick. “My mom and dad are from Cleveland. I was born in Sandusky and I went to the University of Dayton.”
“And I’m damn proud of it, man!”
The applause gave way to an endorsement rooted in a friendship stretching back decades. Gruden and Husted were teammates on Dayton’s 1985 football team, according to OutKick’s report.
“Jon Husted is a lot more than my friend,” Gruden said. “He was a great player.”
Gruden praised Husted’s work ethic, commitment and mental toughness — qualities he argued would serve voters as well as they had served his teammate on the football field.
“He will never quit, ever on you or anybody,” Gruden declared. “Let’s hear it, for Husted.”
Then came his turnout playbook.
“Early voting starts Tuesday. Can we be there or not? Let’s be there!” Gruden said, according to OutKick.
“Get your friends, and get their friends and their friends, and let’s get Husted back in action. Let’s go!”
Ohio’s early in-person voting begins Tuesday, October 6, ahead of the November 3 election, according to the Ohio secretary of state’s office.
Trump Notices The Energy
Trump leaned into the football atmosphere, comparing the crowd’s enthusiasm to a game-day audience after a protester was escorted out.
“You know, Jon Gruden is standing here, saying, ‘I don’t believe this. This is rougher than a football game,’” Trump told supporters, according to OutKick.
“There’s more spirit. I think they have more spirit here than they did today in Ohio State, if you want to know the truth.”
But the president’s message extended beyond the cheering. He urged voters to support Husted and Ramaswamy and predicted Republicans could outperform expectations.
“I think we’re gonna have a big surprise because they don’t know what’s happening,” Trump said, according to a transcript of his remarks. “You just gotta, very simple, you gotta get out and vote.”
Trump also addressed local priorities. WHIO reported that he said Ohio would receive strong consideration for a Space Force Academy if Republicans win the midterms, and pledged support for Delphi retirees fighting to recover lost pension benefits. Several retirees met with him backstage.
Next Stop: Nebraska
Trump’s campaign travel continues Monday, October 5, with a trip to Grand Island, Nebraska.
He is scheduled to deliver remarks at the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center at Fonner Park at 6 p.m. Central, or 7 p.m. Eastern, before returning to the White House.
The appearance will support Republican Gov. Jim Pillen and Sen. Pete Ricketts. Pillen faces Democrat Lynne Walz, while Ricketts faces independent Dan Osborn in November.
