The stage is set for one of the most fiercely contested Senate races of the year. Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno, backed by former President Donald Trump, will challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in the forthcoming fall elections.
Moreno, a Colombian-born, American-raised car dealership owner, has positioned himself as an “outsider” and a legal immigrant who can unseat a three-term incumbent. His race against Brown is pivotal in determining which party will control the Senate, following his victory over Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan in Tuesday’s primary.
Sen. Brown, who faced no opposition in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, is seeking a fourth term in a state that has been increasingly leaning towards the Republicans. He is one of two Senate Democrats seeking reelection in a state that Trump won twice, making him a prime target for the Republicans.
Throughout his campaign, Moreno capitalized on his endorsement from Trump, who backed him in December at the behest of Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance. In addition to Trump and Vance, the conservative Club for Growth also threw their support behind Moreno.
Senate Democrats, in a strategic move to draw the most favorable general election matchup, ran ads highlighting Moreno leading up to the Republican primary, suggesting they view Moreno as the weakest candidate against Brown. “MAGA Republican Bernie Moreno is too conservative for Ohio. In Washington, Moreno would do Donald Trump’s bidding. That’s why Trump endorsed Moreno, calling him ‘exactly the type of MAGA fighter that we need in the United States Senate,” one ad stated.
Trump’s endorsement was a key feature in Moreno’s campaign advertising. “MAGA alert: President Trump wants you to vote for outsider businessman Bernie Moreno,” one of the campaign’s final ads stated, reminding voters of the coveted endorsement in Republican primaries.
Moreno expressed his gratitude to Trump at his campaign’s watch party in Cleveland, shortly after his projected win. “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,” Moreno said.
Despite his current support for Trump, Moreno had previously been a critic of the former president. CNN’s KFile uncovered several audio clips and deleted tweets of the Senate GOP nominee harshly criticizing Trump. He once said there was “no scenario” in which he would support Trump. He’s also called Trump a “fake Republican” who stokes “hatred and fear” and suggested that the former president’s popularity is the result of “ignorance in our society.”
Before his Senate run in 2022, Moreno was a prolific Republican donor, loaning his campaign millions from his personal fortune before withdrawing from the race ahead of the primary. The businessman has once again invested heavily in his current bid, with the latest Federal Election Commission records showing that Moreno has contributed at least $4.2 million to his campaign.
Contributions to this report were made by CNN’s Simone Pathe and David Wright.