Republican businessman Bernie Moreno, currently in the running for the US Senate in Ohio, has made a significant political shift. Once a vocal critic of Donald Trump, Moreno has now become an ardent supporter, even earning the former president’s endorsement for his Senate campaign.
Previously, Moreno had been on record stating there was “no scenario” in which he would support Trump, whom he labeled a “fake Republican” who incites “hatred and fear.” He also suggested that Trump’s popularity was a symptom of “ignorance in our society.” These statements were discovered in audio clips and deleted tweets from Moreno’s past, brought to light by a CNN KFile review.
However, Moreno has since changed his tune, praising Trump and attacking the “wine-sipping country club Republicans” who are “offended by President Trump’s words.” He has also made controversial claims, such as labeling those imprisoned for Capitol riot-related offenses as “political prisoners,” alleging that the 2020 election was stolen, and accusing “big tech,” “the swamp,” the corporate media, and Democrats of colluding to rig the election.
This political about-face is not unique to Moreno. Many Republicans across the country have followed a similar path, initially criticizing Trump only to later embrace him. This includes Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who Trump endorsed over Moreno in the 2022 Senate primary. Vance, who once publicly stated he did not vote for Trump in 2016 and privately suggested that the former president might be “America’s Hitler,” has since become a vocal supporter of Trump.
As Trump inches closer to securing the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, loyalty to him and his agenda has become a litmus test for party loyalty. Both of Moreno’s Republican opponents, state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio’s Secretary of State Frank LaRose, have histories of past Trump criticism. While Dolan has largely stood by his criticism, LaRose has made public gestures to appeal to Trump, including seeking his endorsement and firing a staffer critical of the former president.
Moreno’s political journey is a complex one. Born in Colombia and raised in America, Moreno is a successful car dealership owner and businessman. He was a prolific Republican donor for years before first running for Senate in 2022. Despite his past criticism of Trump, Moreno’s campaign now asserts that he “absolutely voted for Trump in 2016.”
However, Moreno’s support for Trump has not always been consistent. In 2019, he denied supporting the Trump campaign, despite his daughter working on it. His campaign has provided a picture purporting to show Moreno attending a Trump Victory Committee event in Cleveland in October 2020 as evidence of his support.
Moreno’s stance on the 2020 election has also shifted dramatically. Initially, he criticized election deniers and urged Republicans to accept the results. Now, he claims the 2020 election was stolen. This shift appears to coincide with his Senate campaigns. In December 2021, Moreno released an ad embracing election denialism, stating, “President Trump says the election was stolen, and he’s right.”
Moreno’s past tweets urging acceptance of the 2020 election results and praising mail-in voting have been deleted. He has also removed posts acknowledging Biden’s win and calling for unity. His stance on the Capitol riot has also changed. Initially condemning the rioters, Moreno now criticizes the justice system for their treatment.
Despite these contradictions, Moreno’s spokesman sees no inconsistency in his past comments. He argues that the events of January 6th exposed a two-tiered justice system, with rioters facing harsher penalties than those who committed acts of violence in June 2020.