Trump-endorsed Vance projected winner in Ohio

Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, a 10-term congressman, former presidential candidate and the son of union workers from northeast Ohio, celebrated his projected primary victory from Columbus on Tuesday.

"We’ve been to all 88 counties. Ninety-seven percent of our donations are under $100. This campaign is about the people of Ohio," Ryan told a room of supporters.

Ryan will face the winner of the GOP Senate primary race -- where Trump-endorsed candidate J.D. Vance is leading -- in an election that could help Democrats retain control of the Senate next year. A Democrat hasn't won a statewide race in Ohio since 2006 with one exception: Sen. Sherrod Brown's reelection in 2018.

Ryan told ABC News' Senior Washington Report Devin Dwyer Tuesday in his hometown of Warren that he is looking to replicate Brown's success by focusing relentlessly on jobs, wages, cutting taxes and cutting costs for families. He talked often about beating China -- and even mentioned policy areas he agreed with former President Donald Trump.

Even in this primary, he stumped regularly in red areas -- visiting all 88 counties.

Ryan said he likes to avoid the "stupid fights" and "culture war antics" of the "Trump knock-offs" he'll soon face.

Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley is projected to win the Democratic gubernatorial primary in Ohio, setting her up with a matchup with incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

Democrats face an uphill battle to win the governorship, which he party hasn’t captured since 2006.

Whaley tweeted Monday night when the Supreme Court draft opinion was leaked that Democrats have a chance to elect a :genuinely pro-choice candidate to be Ohio’s next governor."

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