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CLEVELAND, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine could find himself in direct conflict soon with President Donald Trumps response to the coronavirus crisis.

The two Republicans have already had starkly different approaches to COVID-19. DeWine reacted early and instituted dramatic restrictions on Ohioans lifestyles to curtail its spread. Trump has seemed more preoccupied with the economy sliding.

In his latest move, the president sent a letter to governors across the country saying guidelines were coming to pave the way for easing social distancing measures a key tool in combating the spread of coronavirus. Washington would provide county-by-county data to determine low-risk counties. Trump has said his goal is to open businesses back up by April 12.

At that point, DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton have said, the deadly infection probably will not have even peaked in Ohio. They hope to continue the clamp down to slow the spread and push the peak into May. They also have noted that because of a lack of widespread testing, tens of thousands of people could have COVID-19 and not know it.

That makes for a likely scenario where the governor does not adhere to Trumps desires. And Trump has shown that those who openly defy him find themselves the object of his rage.

Could I see this being a point of contention? Yeah, said one Ohio Republican who has communicated with the governors team during the response. Do I already have friends who think DeWines overreaching and ruining the economy and are blind to the Trump thing? Yeah.

Thus far, DeWine has been diplomatic any time hes asked about Trump.

I think the president and I are aligned," DeWine said at the governors Tuesday briefing. "We want this over with as fast as we can. We want people back to work. The frustration he has, I share that frustration. And each day we cant move forward in that regard is a very frustrating thing.

But how would he respond if he found himself at the receiving end of Trumps attacks?

In his 40-plus years in politics, DeWine has not gained a reputation as someone who bucks the party often. There have been times in his history, such as his support of an assault weapons ban in the 1990s, where he has, but DeWine has mostly been a party loyalist.

And hes stuck by Trump. When other Republicans jumped ship in 2016 after recordings surfaced of Trump describing how he gropes women, DeWine stayed aboard. The president, in kind, campaigned for him just days before his 2018 gubernatorial election, possibly giving him the bump he needed to secure victory in a year that was otherwise good for Democrats.

But in the year-plus hes been governor, DeWine has shown a willingness to eschew the party norms. One of his first actions in office was calling for an increase in the gas tax, rankling many Statehouse Republicans. After the August 2019 mass shooting in Dayton, he put forth several proposed restrictions on guns, despite the gun lobbys significant influence in the GOP.

Throughout his response to the coronavirus, DeWine has mostly kept politics out of the discussion, even as Republicans have questioned or outright criticized his moves.

Republicans who spoke with cleveland.com said they didnt expect a change in his strategy or response even if pressure comes from the White House.

Im sure that Mike DeWine will continue to do what he and the medical experts around him think is best to save the lives of Ohioans, said Ryan Stubenrauch, a Republican crisis communications consultant who worked on DeWines 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Hes going to do what he thinks is right regardless of what critics say, whether that critic is the president of the United States or someone angry about sports cancellations on Facebook.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine speaks about his plans for the coming year during an interview at the Governor's Residence in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, Dec. 13, 2019. Speaking during a year-end interview at the Governor's Residence, the first-term Republican told The Associated Press that it's all part of his commitment to help every Ohioan reach their "God-given potential." (AP Photo/John Minchillo)AP

Thus far, DeWine has been at the forefront of the response to the pandemic. Both Democrats and Republicans alike have lauded him for his strong and swift actions.

On Feb. 27, DeWine held a news conference saying Ohioans should have a sense of urgency about the coronavirus. At a rally the next day, Trump called concern about the disease a hoax by the Democrats.

Just hours after DeWine announced he would seek to postpone Ohios primary election on March 17, Trump said states shouldnt put off their elections.

Meanwhile, Trumps reaction since the disease started having broader effects especially after the stock market plummeted has been erratic. Those who have crossed him have, as they often do in any situation, found themselves the subject of one of his tweets or rants in conservative media. And hes consistently pushed to ease social distancing restrictions, despite warnings from health officials that doing so in the immediate future would jeopardize the work mitigating the damage so far.

Our people want to return to work, read one tweet from the president. They will practice Social Distancing and all else, and Seniors will be watched over protectively & lovingly. We can do two things together. THE CURE CANNOT BE WORSE (by far) THAN THE PROBLEM! Congress MUST ACT NOW. We will come back strong!

Just this week, Trump made light of Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who voted to convict Trump during impeachment hearings, for Romneys negative coronavirus test and called GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky a third rate grandstander for threatening to delay a coronavirus relief bill.

Some other Republican governors across the country have followed Trumps lead and delayed implementing coronavirus measures. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has refrained from issuing a stay-at-home order, even as the state surpassed 1,400 cases. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has mostly deferred to Trump while 18 people have died. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has mostly resisted more restrictive actions, including leaving restaurant dining floors open, drawing the ire of mayors in the state, who have largely taken the response into their own hands.

Theres reason to expect that DeWine could soon find himself drawing Trumps ire if the governor refuses to open the state at the presidents request.

But even Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who won his seat after defeating DeWine in 2006, said DeWine wouldnt fold to or even engage with any pressure from Trump.

Why should he bother with commenting on the president? Brown said. Everyone knows DeWine has done this so much better than Trump. He started this so much earlier. Hes told the truth and hes tried to unite people. I dont expect him to applaud the president or criticize the president.

Instead, Stubenrauch said, the governor will continue to follow the advice of Acton and other medical professionals from around the state.

People joke about him forming a commission or committee all the time, Stubenrauch said. He does that not because he likes bureaucracy. Its because he prides himself on knowing there is always someone smarter than you out there that knows more on a given issue.

The subject of potential conflict came up at Fridays daily coronavirus briefing with when DeWine was asked about the presidents letter.

DeWine didnt say much, but indicated he was holding steady on relying on his health team and the scientific models.

What weve outlined today is where we think we are at this point, DeWine said. We have to build out our hospital capacity moving into that new phase right now to do that. Were asking everyone to continue to help by following physical distancing that weve asked everyone to do.

Read more:
Mike DeWine and Donald Trump might be headed for a showdown over coronavirus. How will DeWine respond? - cleveland.com