Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel announced on Wednesday that he’ll run again against Sen. Sherrod Brown in what will be a tough year for Democrats.

Mandel lost to Brown by 6 percentage points in 2012, the same year President Barack Obama won the state. But Ohio overwhelmingly voted for Sen. Rob Portman this year and President-elect Donald Trump won the state handily.

In his ad, Mandel echoes Trump’s populist message, criticizing lobbyists and special interests.

“Most people think Washington is broken, but really, it’s just a rigged system,” Mandel said. “The politicians and their cronies get rich while the middle class struggles.”

That drew a counterattack from Justin Barasky, Brown’s 2012 communications director who now holds the same position with progressive PAC Priorities USA.

He ignores his job, and most importantly he’s working against the people of Ohio. This is someone who called the auto-rescue “un-American”

— Justin Barasky (@JustinBarasky) December 7, 2016

In addition, Mandel said immigration policy should protect borders and secure cities.

“That means no sanctuary cities,” he said and also said he would not succumb to political correctness.

But already, Barasky criticized Mandel for planning to run since his loss.

To the DC journalists who questioned why I still hammered Mandel after he lost in 2012, this is why. He never stopped running. https://t.co/4W1mohdJbw

— Justin Barasky (@JustinBarasky) December 7, 2016

Josh Mandel can’t be trusted. He lies abt everything, he is part of a rigged system that hires unqualified political cronies & friends…

— Justin Barasky (@JustinBarasky) December 7, 2016

He ignores his job, and most importantly he’s working against the people of Ohio. This is someone who called the auto-rescue “un-American”

— Justin Barasky (@JustinBarasky) December 7, 2016