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Stark County attorney Jane Timken (left) and Ohio Republican Party Chair Matt Borges (right) each claim to have the votes to win Friday's party leadership election.

(Twitter/File photo)

COLUMBUS, Ohio--A heated battle between supporters of President-elect Donald Trump and Gov. John Kasich over the future of the Ohio Republican Party will come to a head Friday, when party leaders vote for state party chair.

Current chair Matt Borges, endorsed by Kasich, is fighting for re-election against Jane Timken, a Canton attorney and vice chair of the Stark County Republican Party.

The battle has become so intense that Trump is personally making calls on Timken's behalf, Republican sources say, though it's unclear how effective his efforts will be.

It's been a tough campaign, with both sides aggressively wooing the 66 members of the central committee. Borges and Timken each claim they have enough committee votes to win.

Who are the candidates?

Borges, 44, is seeking a third two-year term as state party chair. Before serving as chair, the Columbus-area resident managed campaigns for Auditor Dave Yost and ex-Treasurer Joe Deters. He also worked as an aide to then-Vice President Dick Cheney from 2001 to 2007.

Timken, a 50-year-old Canton resident, isn't a party outsider either. The wife of TimkenSteel Corp. CEO Tim Timken, she and her family have long been prominent donors to Republican candidates in Ohio. (The couple also hosted Trump at a campaign fundraiser last year). An attorney, Jane Timken previously chaired the Kent State University Board of Trustees and has served on other local nonprofit boards.

Why is the winner important?

The race for Ohio GOP chair is a test of whether Trump supporters can wrest control of the party away from Kasich, who filled the central committee with his allies after former chair Kevin DeWine was ousted in 2013.

Timken, reportedly backed by Trump, said she was asked to run by Bob Paduchik, Trump's Ohio campaign manager who clashed with Borges last year.

Borges has been endorsed by Kasich, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump. Critics say that during last year's Republican presidential primary, Borges was a Kasich cheerleader who criticized Trump and only offered tepid support for the billionaire businessman after he won the GOP nomination.

The winner of the election will serve as the state GOP's chief, playing an important role in determining the party's strategy for the 2018 midterms and beyond.

Who will win?

The answer is unclear. Both sides say they have a majority of votes from the 66-member committee. It's hard to get an accurate vote count because the election will be conducted via secret ballot, meaning committee members could promise their support to one side and end up privately voting for the other candidate.

Who's backing each candidate?

Borges has unveiled a long list of endorsements from Ohio Republicans, including Kasich, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, Attorney General Mike DeWine, Yost, and several GOP congressmen from Ohio.

Timken, meanwhile, has the support of about 40 GOP county chairs, as well as a group of influential Cleveland-area donors such as industrialist (and Trump's Ohio campaign finance chair) Ed Crawford, restaurateur Tony George, and financial executive Mike Gibbons.

Cleveland.com reporters Henry J. Gomez and Andrew J. Tobias contributed to this story.