Trump-endorsed Vance projected winner in Ohio

While less than 20% of the expected vote is in so far in the Ohio Republican Senate primary, there are early signs of a close race and a surge for one of the candidates.

"Hillbilly Elegy" author J.D. Vance, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is currently leading, but State Sen. Matt Dolan is only a few percentage points behind him. Dolan, who self-financed his race, is the only candidate who broke with Trump in the race. He told ABC News that candidates who focus on the 2020 election are misguided.

Vance, meanwhile, has fully embraced Trump and his endorsement.

-ABC News Oren Oppenheim

In the Ohio Republican primary for secretary of state, incumbent elections chief Frank LaRose is projected to win.

Although LaRose once told the Cleveland Plain Dealer it is "irresponsible when Republicans say an election was stolen and don't have evidence" in the fallout from the 2020 election, the Republican incumbent still received Trump's endorsement for his reelection campaign.

"I think President Trump is incredibly influential here in Ohio. He won by an overwhelming margin, in a secure election -- he got over 8%, that's a record-setting 3 million votes in the state of Ohio," LaRose said in an interview on ABC News Live on Monday touting the endorsement.

As Trump increasingly wades into state-level political contests, the shift in rhetoric by LaRose demonstrates an attempt to bridge the divide between sentiments of election denial expressed by many of Trump's supporters with the wishes of broad swaths of Republicans who want to see the party move on from focusing on 2020.

-ABC News' Alisa Wiersema

Incumbent Gov. Mike DeWine is projected to win the Republican gubernatorial primary in Ohio, holding off challenges from within his own party.

DeWine, who is seeking a second term, was favored to win but faced a spirited faceoff with Republicans who were disappointed with his relatively strict response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those looking to replace DeWine included former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, former state Rep. Ron Hood and Joe Blystone, a farmer who jumped into the race. Trump did not endorse a candidate in this primary contest, but Renacci campaigned on Trumpism and cited Trump's support of him in 2018 during his failed campaign for Senate.

In the Ohio Democratic primary for Senate, ABC News projects Rep. Tim Ryan as the winner.

Ryan entered Congress in 2003 and briefly ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

He has spent his campaign focusing relentlessly on an economic message and avoiding what he calls "Republicans' culture wars."

Ryan has long represented the working class Youngstown area and was the clear frontrunner in the hotly contested Republican primary battle for retiring Sen. Rob. Portman’s seat. The other candidates were Traci Johnson and Morgan Harper.

Shortly after his projected win, Rep. Ryan tweeted, "On to November! Never bet against Ohio."

Though Ryan is projected to win the nomination handily, he faces a tougher feat in the general election. Former President Trump won Ohio in both 2016 and 2020.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa