Ohio Secretary of State Terminates Staff Member over Social Media Criticism of Former President
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a prominent Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, has fired one of his top aides, press secretary Rob Nichols, after discovering social media posts that criticized Donald Trump. Nichols, who previously worked for former Republican Gov. John Kasich, had become an outspoken critic of Trump.
The decision to dismiss Nichols was made after allies of Trump uncovered and shared old tweets from Nichols’ personal account, in which he made negative comments about the former president, including mentions of his impeachments, indictments, and appearance. In one tweet, Nichols responded to a Trump supporter by referring to “an incredible indictments race to the bottom for your guys and Hunter Biden…the daytona 500 of felonies and misdemeanors.”
Mary Cianciolo, who has taken over as the interim replacement, confirmed that Nichols is no longer employed by LaRose. However, she declined to provide further details about the personnel issue. Nichols had already deleted the Twitter account in question before the controversial tweets were brought to light, and he chose not to comment when contacted by phone.
LaRose’s decision to terminate Nichols comes at a time when his own stance on Trump’s endorsement has evolved. Initially, LaRose was critical of Trump but later expressed support by endorsing him for the 2024 presidential election after entering the Senate race. The Senate primary is expected to attract significant attention, and Trump’s endorsement could be a critical factor, as seen in his support for JD Vance during the previous year’s GOP primary.
LaRose is currently competing against state Sen. Matt Dolan and businessman Bernie Moreno for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat. Dolan has distanced himself from Trump, while Moreno, who was also a former critic, has gained Trump’s approval for his candidacy.
