Who is Jim Renacci? What you need to know about Ohio Senate hopeful.

Jim Renacci, an Akron-area Republican congressman won his party’s primary and will attempt to unseat incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown in November.

But who is Renacci? Here’s what you need to know:

One of the richest people in Congress

Renacci, a Pennsylvania native, began his business career shortly after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1980. According to his website, he moved to Wadsworth in 1983 and founded a company that managed nursing services in the region.

Renacci was a businessman for around 30 years, owning about 60 entities that employed a total of nearly 3,000 people. The Christian Science Monitor ranked him as one of the richest members of Congress in 2012 with a net worth of more than $36 million.

A politician endorsed by Trump

Renacci began his political career more than 20 years ago on the Wadworth Board of Zoning Appeals, according to Ballotpedia. He later served as the Wadsworth City Council president before being elected as mayor in 2004.

Renacci has served as a United States representative in the northeast Ohio region since 2011, and in recent years has been a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, even drawing an endorsement from the president earlier this year.

His support for Trump has been unwavering, even after the president has made controversial comments.

"I've said all along the president many times says what people are thinking," Renacci told Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade earlier this year.

Where he stands on the issues

Responding to questions from the Dayton Daily News earlier this year, Renacci named the three biggest problems facing the nation as long-term economic growth, high debt and the opioid epidemic.

On the issue of guns, Renacci called himself a “steadfast supporter” of the Second Amendment but said he would work to address mental health and gun access issues.

He opposes the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes, and said he was “closely watching” the implementation of Ohio’s medical marijuana legalization. Renacci also said he would support Supreme Court candidates “in the mold of the late Justice Antonin Scalia,” and would vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

He also emphasized the need for immigration reform and advocated for the end the diversity visa program.

“It’s vital that we uphold our responsibility to our citizens to protect our borders and hold sanctuary cities accountable for failing to cooperate with federal law enforcement officials,” Renacci said.

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