That's So Cincinnati: Republican Greg Hartmann on criticizing Donald Trump and the Bengals' future

Cincinnati's Greg Hartmann is among a handful of Republicans who can vouch for how costly it can be to publicly criticize Donald Trump.

Hartmann made national headlines in late 2015, when the then-Hamilton County commissioner called Trump "the most offensive public figure I've seen." The comments ended up costing Hartmann a White House-appointed federal prosecutor's job.

Back in the local political spotlight to lead the GOP's campaign to kill a potential ballot initiative to disband the Cincinnati Police, Hartmann this week reflected on his criticism of Trump and opened up about his current feelings about the president in a wide-ranging interview on The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast.

Hartmann continues to have mixed feelings about Trump, but the local GOP influencer isn't bitter about the White House stringing him along for nearly two years on the federal prosecutor appointment. Hartmann ultimately withdrew his name from being considered for U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio in December 2018.

"I don't love the way the president handles things," Hartmann told That's So Cincinnati. "I like the fact that he's significantly cut regulations and taxes, so I support a lot of the policies. I don't support a lot of the meanness and divisive approach that he's taken."

Asked specifically if he'll support Trump in November, Hartmann added: "Sure. He's our candidate. He doesn't do a lot of things the way that I would do them, (but) the alternative is not very impressive."