When former President Donald Trump was in office, his religious-right supporters fell over themselves to shower him with comparisons to biblical leaders, ranging from King David and Solomon to Cyrus and the Apostle Paul. Ohio Republican U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel was similarly exalted when he appeared Saturday at an event held at Calvary Church in Hamilton, Ohio, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Mandel was introduced by Candice Keller, a former right-wing Ohio state representative who was defeated in the Republican primary last year after she blamed mass shootings on "homosexual marriage and drag queen advocates," among other things. Keller welcomed Mandel to the stage by likening him to King David and Cyrus and declaring that he has been chosen by God.
"He, I believe, is God's man for the hour," Keller said. "I absolutely believe that. He's 43. When I look at him, I think that's what David looked like—King David in the Bible. In my mind, I'm like, 'That's King David.' And you know, just like David, I believe that he's God's man for the hour."
"Josh Mandel is going to go to the Senate," Keller declared. "Just so you know, he's going. He's going. Now, when he gets there, I know he's only going to be one of 100, but God said, 'I searched for one man so I would not have to judge a nation.' And just like Donald Trump, God is raising Josh Mandel up to be our Cyrus in Ohio. Ohio is the most significant state in the nation, in my opinion. God is going to place Josh in a strategic place, and I believe he's in it."
