In a significant victory for the Republican Party and its presumptive presidential nominee, Donald Trump, Bernie Moreno has emerged as the winner of the Republican Senate primary in Ohio, according to projections by CNN. The Cleveland businessman, endorsed by Trump, will now face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in a pivotal fall election that could determine control of the Senate.
Brown, one of two Democrats seeking reelection in a state that Trump won twice, is a prime target for Republicans aiming to gain the one or two seats required to flip the Senate, contingent on the outcome of the presidential race.
The GOP primary on Tuesday served as the first litmus test of Trump’s influence in a contested Senate race this year. Despite Trump’s endorsement in December, prompted by Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Moreno’s victory was not a foregone conclusion in what turned out to be one of the costliest races of the cycle. Trump’s last-minute visit to Ohio over the weekend helped push Moreno over the finish line.
Moreno’s win also represents a strategic victory for Democrats, who seemingly viewed him as the weakest candidate against Brown. A group affiliated with Senate Democrats’ top super PAC ran ads supporting Moreno over state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, labeling Moreno as a “MAGA Republican” who is “too conservative for Ohio.”
Trump’s involvement in this race is significant, given that national Republicans, who decided to intervene in primaries this year to counter flawed general election nominees, refrained from participating in this primary. The conservative Club for Growth also backed Moreno, a Colombian-born businessman who amassed wealth through car dealerships.
Dolan, another self-funded candidate who finished third in the 2022 primary won by Vance, had the backing of two notable Ohio Republicans, Gov. Mike DeWine and former US Sen. Rob Portman. Their involvement highlighted the rift within the party between its Trumpian and establishment factions.
At Trump’s weekend rally, the former president criticized Dolan as a RINO (Republican in Name Only) and lauded Moreno as a “political outsider.” Moreno capitalized on his endorsement from Trump, making it a central theme in his campaign’s advertising.
Despite facing criticism from his rivals for his past moderate policy positions, Moreno, like Vance, successfully leveraged his endorsement from Trump to dispel any doubts about his previous loyalty.
Moreno and Dolan’s willingness to invest millions of their own money into their campaigns pushed the race’s spending over $40 million. Moreno will now face off against Brown, who ran unopposed in his primary, in a state that has been leaning Republican.
Brown, a progressive populist and the last remaining Democrat in nonjudicial statewide office in Ohio, acknowledged that this could be the most challenging race of his career. Despite this, Brown ended the pre-primary reporting period with a significant cash-on-hand advantage over Moreno.
The substantial outside money already invested in Ohio underscores the competitiveness both parties anticipate for this race. The Senate Majority PAC, tied to Democratic leadership, has reserved $65 million for TV ads, while the Senate Leadership Fund and an affiliated group on the Republican side have booked about $80 million.
This story has been updated with additional information. Contributions to this report were made by CNN’s David Wright and Jeff Zeleny.