TIFFIN, Ohio — Republican primary challenger Eric Watson released a video Friday accusing incumbent State Rep. Gary Click of alienating conservative organizations that have endorsed Watson’s campaign, calling Click’s attacks on those groups a failure of leadership ahead of the May 5 primary election in Ohio’s 88th House District.

In the video, posted to Facebook, Watson said Click had referred to End Abortion Ohio as “extremists” after the group endorsed Watson, and had called Ohio Gun Owners leader Chris Dorr a “fraud.” Both characterizations align with statements Click has made publicly. Click called End Abortion Ohio “clowns” on Facebook following their endorsement of Watson and accused Dorr of misconduct in a public dispute covered previously by TiffinOhio.net.

“When you attack organizations that are like-minded — conservative views, Christian views, and constitutional views — such as End Abortion Ohio, and you call them extremists, and then you jump to Ohio Gun Owners and you call them frauds — in extension, you’re calling the supporters that too, that support those organizations,” Watson said in the video. “This isn’t leadership.”

Watson also invoked a statement he said Click made at a Seneca County Republican meeting, in which Click urged party members to stop dividing. “You spoke to us at the Seneca County Republican meeting last year and you brought your cards with you and you handed them out and you said how we can’t be divided up anymore, how we got to stop the division,” Watson said. “What do you think that this is that you’re doing?”

Watson went on to draw a legislative contrast between Click’s 2022 personhood bill, House Bill 704, and End Abortion Ohio’s House Bill 370. Watson argued that HB 704 — a three-sentence measure that would recognize personhood from the moment of conception — lacks constitutional grounding due to what Watson called a “void of vagueness.” He said HB 370, the Ohio Prenatal Equal Protection Act, is more legally sound because it explicitly references the 14th Amendment, due process protections, and medical protections for women. Watson’s claim that HB 704 would fail constitutional scrutiny represents his own legal interpretation and has not been adjudicated.

Watson also noted that End Abortion Ohio’s legislative work had been aligned with Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September 2025. “The aligned organizations that End Abortion Ohio was working with actually were working with Charlie Kirk before his death,” Watson said.

End Abortion Ohio endorsed Watson in March after he completed the group’s 2026 candidate survey with a perfect score. Click declined to participate in the survey. Ohio Gun Owners gave Click a C-minus rating and backed Watson after he completed its survey 100% pro-gun. Click refused the Ohio Gun Owners survey in both 2024 and 2026 and voted against a Second Amendment Protection Act amendment in December 2024.

Watson closed the video by renewing a call for a formal public debate before the May 5 primary. “I’d still love to have that debate with you publicly in a formal setting,” Watson said. “We’ve reached out multiple times. Even my supporters have. And you know where to find me.” Click’s campaign has not publicly responded to the debate request.

The Republican primary in Ohio’s 88th House District is scheduled for May 5. Watson’s campaign website is ericwatsonforohio.com.