Sen. Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleyBiden steps into legal fight with vaccine mandates Chris Wallace on lawmakers who contested Biden’s election: I don’t want to hear ‘their crap’ Trump schedules rallies in Iowa, Georgia MORE (R-Mo.) endorsed Ohio Republican JD Vance in the Buckeye State’s GOP Senate primary Tuesday, lending his conservative bona fides to the venture capitalist and bestselling author’s bid to replace outgoing Sen. Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanTrump administration trade rep endorses JD Vance in Ohio Senate race Crypto debate set to return in force GOP hopefuls fight for Trump’s favor in Ohio Senate race MORE (R-Ohio). Hawley, a firebrand who entered the Senate in 2019 and was a vocal supporter of objections to the 2020 election results, touted Vance as an advocate of several red meat issues to conservatives, including tightening immigration restrictions and clamping down on tech companies. “I’m proud to endorse JD Vance for U.S. Senate from Ohio. JD knows well the devastating realities that our country faces. Especially in Ohio, families gripped by addiction have the cards stacked against them and entire towns continue to plummet,” he said in a statement of the “Hillbilly Elegy” author.  ADVERTISEMENT “JD will fight for tighter restrictions at the southern border, bring back a robust manufacturing industry and put the needs of our own American citizens first. JD is the only candidate out in front of the corruption in our technology industry. He will crack down on Big Tech bowing down to China, stand up for the American worker, and put our country back on the track of prosperity and opportunity.” The endorsement is the first by Hawley in an open Senate race in the 2022 cycle. The Missouri Republican is considered by many to be a potential 2024 presidential contender if former President TrumpDonald TrumpBiden stumps for Newsom on eve of recall: ‘The eyes of the nation are on California’ On The Money: House Democrats cut back Biden tax hikes Abortion providers warn of ‘chaos’ if Supreme Court overrules Roe v Wade MORE doesn’t run, and getting involved in key midterm races could be a way to bolster his own standing with the GOP grassroots during a cycle in which he’s not up for reelection.  Vance, who burst onto the scene when his 2016 memoir became a bestseller, has recently garnered a slate of endorsements from prominent conservatives, including former Trump administration cabinet officials and Indiana Congressman Jim Banks, the chair of the Republican Study Committee. “I’m honored to receive Josh’s endorsement. No one else in the U.S. Senate has fought as tirelessly against the Big Tech monopolists who censor conservatives and control the flow of information in our country. Josh points the way toward a conservatism that stands for the interests and values of American workers and families. I’m honored to have his support and thrilled to work with him in the Senate,” said Vance. ADVERTISEMENT Vance is among several candidates vying for the GOP nomination in the Senate race, including former Ohio treasurer and two-time Senate candidate Josh Mandel, former Ohio GOP Chair Jane Timken and Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno.  Recent polls have shown Mandel with a lead but Vance closing the gap. Rep. Tim RyanTimothy (Tim) RyanTrump administration trade rep endorses JD Vance in Ohio Senate race GOP hopefuls fight for Trump’s favor in Ohio Senate race Trump’s last national security adviser endorses JD Vance in Ohio Senate race MORE and former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau senior adviser Morgan Harper are running in the Democratic primary.