How Bernie Moreno and Sherrod Brown will match up in Ohio race for U.S. Senate
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One of the most watched Senate races in the country this November will be in Ohio, and the opponents have now been set.
Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno secured the Republican nomination on Tuesday night, setting him up to go against the Democratic incumbent, Sherrod Brown. The race could help determine which party controls the Senate starting in 2025.
"The reality is, we have an opportunity now," Moreno said in his victory speech.
Moreno advanced with the support of former President Donald Trump, and how well Moreno does could fall in line with how well Trump does in Ohio in his effort to unseat President Joe Biden and reclaim the White House. Although Trump won the state by some 8 points when he won the presidential race in 2016 and when he lost it in 2020, early polling has shown Moreno faces an uphill climb against Brown.
"We have Sherrod Brown, who's had a reputation in Ohio for decades of fighting for a lot of different communities across the state, and especially a strong record with labor," said Morgan Harper, a Democratic strategist. "I really think that Sherrod Brown is going to stack up against anything that comes out of the Republican primary."
An early March poll showed Brown ahead of Moreno in a hypothetical general election matchup, taking 39% of support, compared with 34% for Moreno and 27% undecided.
Still, Moreno's nomination could be seen as a win for him and for Trump, too. He overcame state Sen. Matt Dolan, who earned the endorsement of Gov. Mike DeWine and was the only candidate in the primary to maintain criticism of the U.S. Capitol riots of Jan. 6, 2021. Moreno has aligned himself squarely behind Trump and has positioned himself as a political outsider, much like Trump did in 2016.
In going from challenging Dolan to challenging Brown late Tuesday, Moreno kept up his allegiance to Trump.
"We have an opportunity now to retire the old commie, send him to the retirement home and save this country," Moreno said of Brown. "And I want to thank President Trump for all he did for me, for this campaign, for his unwavering support, for his love of this country.
"I don't think I've ever seen somebody who loves this country the way he does."
Riding Trump's popularity and path as an outsider could be Moreno's key to winning a Senate seat, much like JD Vance did in 2022.
"Anybody running statewide, whether it's Sherrod Brown or LeBron James, probably is going to have a real tough go [against Moreno]," Republican strategist Ryan Stubenrauch said.
But Democrats must like their chances against him. A pro-Moreno ad campaign this month actually came from a super PAC affiliated with Democrats.
Brown, who predicted in January that the general election would be one of the most expensive races in the country, was able to keep a low profile during the primary season without a major challenger. He has served in the Senate since 2007.
"The choice ahead of Ohio is clear: Bernie Moreno has spent his career and campaign putting himself first and would do the same if elected," Brown said Tuesday night. "Elections come down to whose side you’re on, and I’ll always work for Ohio."