Senate hopefuls don't believe other has Ohio's interests at heart

(The Center Square) – The Ohio U.S. Senate race is heating up, with both candidates saying their opponent doesn’t have the state’s interests at heart.

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown says he is fighting for Ohio workers and businesses. Trump-endorsed Republican challenger Bernie Moreno, a former car salesman born in Colombia, says he’s fighting for the American dream.

The candidates are campaigning on a wide range of issues. Brown and Moreno both place American manufacturing and energy independence high among their priorities.

Brown has sponsored legislation and supported initiatives aimed at boosting American auto, steel and solar panel manufacturing. Moreno has said that Brown’s support of electric vehicles will “bankrupt America’s oil and coal economy.”

Brown, for his part, said that since Moreno sold SUVs made in China, the Republican has contributed to Ohio’s manufacturing job decline.

Brown’s campaign site says he “has spent his career fighting for the Dignity of Work – the idea that hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of work you do.” But Brown received backlash for a political ad targeting his opponent, which seemed to imply that all car salesmen are untrustworthy.

Mostly, Moreno’s initiatives match those of Trump, such as cutting government regulations and spending, supporting law enforcement, cracking down on people entering and living in the country illegally, and opposing abortion.

Brown, on the other hand, does not include immigration as an issue on his campaign page and has supported amnesty measures for immigrants living illegally in the U.S. He also strongly supports abortion.

Two of the 16 initiatives listed on Moreno’s campaign page are to “End Wokeness and Cancel Culture” and “End Socialism in America.” Moreno does not specify how he would accomplish those goals in Congress.

“In Washington, Bernie will fight to shrink government, protect our freedoms, stop the Chinese communist party from taking our data and land, and always put America First,” reads his website.

Brown leads Moreno by over five points in the race, according to the most recent polls.