By the numbers: Former state treasurer Josh Mandel still leads early polls of the crowded 2022 GOP Senate primary field, but Vance has improved his standing among five candidates, according to recent internal surveys reviewed by Axios.

Tony Fabrizio, who polled for former President Donald Trump, has been polling for Vance’s super PAC for the past few months.

Vance held a 6% share of the vote in April and 4% in June, respectively, well behind Mandel’s 25% and 22% in the same surveys. But in July’s survey of 800 likely Ohio Republican primary voters, Vance’s share had risen to 12% — placing him second in the field behind Mandel, who fell slightly to 21% — per Fabrizio in a memo to the Vance super-PAC.

Bottom line: Vance appears to be benefitting from a recent string of positive conservative media coverage, which has helped him overcome an early liability: in 2016 he staunchly opposed Donald Trump.