Ohio’s U.S. Senate race is set: Republican Bernie Moreno will face U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown

VANDALIA, OHIO - MARCH 16: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump greets Ohio Republican candidate for US Senate Bernie Moreno during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on March 16, 2024 in Vandalia, Ohio. The rally was hosted by the Buckeye Values PAC. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Republican Bernie Moreno, Donald Trump’s pick for Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, has secured the Republican nomination according to the Associated Press.

The AP called the race at 8:35 p.m., but the results will remain unofficial until they’re certified in about three weeks.

Moreno will face Democratic Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. Some experts have predicted that the race may be key in deciding control over the U.S. Senate in 2025 .

In his victory speech, Moreno was quick to shift his focus to that general election contest.

“Let’s talk about Sherrod Brown now,” he said to cheers, “isn’t that great we get to talk about Sherrod Brown now? That’s great.”

Moreno referred to Brown as “the old commie” and joked about him taking office when the U.S. Constitution was ratified. Brown is running for his fourth term in the U.S. Senate.

Moreno dismissed last minute ads paid for by a super PAC aligned with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and argued he “wears with honor” his endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

“Here’s what I wonder,” Moreno said. “I wonder whether Sherrod Brown is going to wear with honor his 99% voting record with Joe Biden?  Whether Joe Biden is the kind of person he likes to associate with? Because I would predict this if Joe Biden enters Ohio Sherrod Brown is gonna fly out of here like a scared cat, right?”

Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (Photo from Brown’s website.)

Brown issued a statement Tuesday night saying that elections come down to whose side you’re on: “I’ll always work for Ohio — from standing up to special interests taking advantage of Ohio workers and corporations raising costs for families to making sure our veterans get the healthcare they earned.”

Throughout the primary race Moreno has staked out unabashedly right-wing, pro-Trump positions. One of his most popular pitches is to deport every person who is in the country illegally — a policy even his Republican opponents, state Sen. Matt Dolan and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, said would be a logistical nightmare that could damage the economy.

But Republican voters loved it. So did former Trump, who promised the “ largest deportation operation in American history ” in Dayton last weekend.

Moreno also calls for labeling drug cartels terrorist organizations and eliminating birthright citizenship, which is protected under the constitution. He has voiced support for a national ban on abortions after 15 weeks and has previously described himself as “100% pro-life, no exceptions.” Despite arguing for federal legislation limiting abortion he dismissed the idea of federal protections for IVF , after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling put the procedure in limbo.

On election night, Moreno offered a somewhat toned-down version of that policy platform, with five commitments. Instead of widespread deportations, he promised “a safe and secure border where people only come into this country legally.” Moreno pledged a return to “energy dominance” so the U.S. doesn’t go looking abroad for energy, and a reform our “three letter agencies,” to make certain they aren’t spying on Americans. He also promised the return of “law and order,” and to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education by end of 2025.

Moreno’s victory reiterates the power of Trump’s endorsement among Ohio Republicans.

In the 2022 U.S. Senate race, Trump’s backing helped Republican Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance distinguish himself in a crowded Republican field.

If recent polling is to be believed, a Trump rally over the weekend in Dayton gave Moreno a late — and crucial — boost ahead of election day. Prior to Trump’s intervention, polling from Emerson College suggested Dolan held a narrow lead, with almost a third of Republicans still undecided. After the Dayton rally, though, Moreno’s share of respondents jumped 15 points.

Still, the extent of Moreno’s reliance on Trump may raise some red flags. In recent general elections, a notable share of Ohioans have split their ticket — casting votes for Republicans in some offices and for Democrats in others. The last time he went before voters in 2018, Brown was the beneficiary of split tickets, running about six points better than the Democratic candidate for governor.

On Tuesday night, Brown seemed just as eager as Moreno to begin the general election campaign.

“Ohioans know I have always stood by them to make sure their hard work pays off and will stand up to anyone who gets in the way,” Brown said. “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.”

Follow OCJ Reporter Nick Evans on Twitter.

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