COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Republican Party on Friday endorsed incumbent GOP Gov. Mike DeWine for re-election ahead of the May primary.

The party’s central committee endorsed DeWine and GOP Lt. Gov. Jon Husted 36-26 via secret ballot. DeWine tweeted his thanks to the party.

The party also endorsed the other four non-judicial GOP candidates: Secretary of State Frank LaRose; Attorney General Dave Yost; Treasurer Robert Sprague; and Auditor Keith Faber.

DeWine, 75, has faced criticism from some fellow Republicans over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and especially over his early shut-down orders and the year-long state mask mandate, which expired last summer.

Conservatives are fed up with DeWine, the gubernatorial campaign of former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci tweeted after the endorsement.