At a town hall gathering in northeast Ohio, GOP U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel is surrounded by a group of pastors. Their hands rest on his shoulders and all heads are bowed in prayer. The moment is a microcosm of the former Ohio State Treasurer and Ohio State Representative’s unconventional campaign strategy to win the GOP primary, capture the general election, and replace retiring U.S. Sen. Rob Portman. Since announcing his intention to run for Portman’s seat last year, Mandel has centered his campaign on churches by hosting “Faith & Freedom” rallies across Ohio. “The mantra of our campaign is pastors over politicians,” Mandel told The Epoch Times. “I’m more interested in earning the support and endorsements of pastors, Christian activists, and citizens who are Christians than getting approval from politicians. “The right to life, freedom, and traditional Biblical values are under assault from the secular left and the mainstream …