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Bernie Moreno won the Republican Senate primary in Ohio, marking a victory for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who had supported Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno in a three-way race.
Moreno will next face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in the fall election, which will be crucial in determining control of the Senate. Mr. Brown is one of two Senate Democrats running for re-election in a state that Mr. Trump won twice, with the possibility of flipping the chamber depending on who wins the White House. It has become a top target for Republicans hoping to win the one or two seats they need to win.
“What President Trump has done for me, for this campaign, his unwavering support, his unwavering support for this country,” Moreno said at a campaign watch party in Cleveland shortly after he was declared the winner. I want to thank you for your love.”
Tuesday's Republican primary was the first test of the year of Mr. Trump's influence in the contentious Senate race. The former president endorsed Moreno in December at the urging of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, whose endorsement means Moreno won't run in what has become one of the most expensive races of the cycle so far. was never secured from the beginning. Trump made a last-minute visit to the state over the weekend to help his candidate cross the finish line.
Mr. Moreno's victory was something of a victory for the Democratic Party, as his campaign spending suggested that Mr. Moreno was considered the weakest candidate against Mr. Brown. An outside group affiliated with the top Senate Democratic super PAC ran ads endorsing state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. “Bernie Moreno will do Donald Trump's bidding in Washington,” the ad said, touting the candidate as “too conservative for Ohio” and a “MAGA Republican.”
Moreno dismissed Democratic attempts to link Brown to Trump and instead sought to link Brown to President Joe Biden.
“Let me just say, I'm proud of the endorsement from President Trump. I wear it with a badge of honor,” the candidate said. “My prediction is this: If Joe Biden gets into Ohio, Sherrod Brown will run out of here like a frightened cat.”
Mr. Brown, seeking a fourth term in the red-leaning state, was unopposed in Tuesday's primary election but quickly drew contrasts with his rival.
“The choice ahead of Ohio is clear. Bernie Moreno has spent his career and campaign putting himself first, and I know he will do the same if elected,” the senator said in a statement.
“The election is about which side you are on. I will always work for the state of Ohio,” Brown added.
Trump's move comes as national Republicans who decided to participate in the primary this year did not participate, in part to counter a candidate who emerged as a flawed candidate in the 2022 general election. His involvement in the election campaign was notable. The conservative Growth Club also backed Mr. Moreno, a Colombian-born man who made his fortune working as a car dealer.
Montana Sen. Steve Daines, the Senate Republican campaign chairman, praised Moreno after his victory and expressed his “full support.”
Mr. Dolan is another self-funded candidate who finished third in the 2022 primary won by Mr. Vance, competing against two prominent Ohio Republicans — Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman. — and their involvement highlighted the divisions within the party. A party between the Trump faction and the more establishment faction.
Mr. Dolan was the only one of the three candidates not to endorse Mr. Trump, but he argued that he was more likely to win as a Republican because he could outperform Mr. Trump in the suburbs.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump greets Moreno during a rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on March 16, 2024.
At President Trump's weekend rallies, which were largely overshadowed by his controversial remarks about the auto industry's “disaster,” the former president attacked Mr. Dolan as a RINO, or “Republican in Name Only,” and called Mr. Moreno He praised him as a “political outsider.”
Mr. Moreno is leaning heavily toward Mr. Trump, and the former president appears throughout his campaign ads. “MAGA Warning: President Trump wants you to vote for outsider businessman Bernie Moreno,” one of the campaign's final ads reads, adding that he is the most coveted candidate in the Republican primary. He reminded voters who are paying close attention to whether he has the support. “Trump endorsed Bernie Moreno for Senate.”
Moreno faced attacks from his opponents and their allies for previously taking more moderate policy positions. As CNN's K-Files reported earlier this year, he once said there was “no scenario” for supporting Trump and called him a “fake Republican.”
But like Mr. Vance, who won the 2022 primary with support from President Trump, Mr. Moreno was able to use the former president's support as a weapon to quell any doubts about his loyalty.
Mr. Moreno and Mr. Dolan are willing to pour millions of their own money into their campaigns, with spending in the race exceeding $40 million as of Monday. The Ohio Senate race is currently second only to the U.S. presidential election, the 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial race, and the 2024 California Senate race in terms of total advertising spending, excluding future reservations.
Moreno said in a statement Tuesday that he spoke with Dolan, who congratulated him on the race, and that LaRose did the same.
“Now is the time to come together as a party,” LaRose said. “We all share the same mission to retire Sherrod Brown and restore Ohio's voice and values to the U.S. Senate. The stakes in this election could not be higher.”
Brown, who was first elected to the Senate in 2006 after seven terms in the House of Representatives, will face off against Moreno in a state that voted for Barack Obama twice and then voted for Trump in both presidential elections. Become. The senator, known as a progressive populist, is the last Democrat remaining in non-judicial, statewide office in the Buckeye State. He won his last race by seven points in 2018 against a weak challenger without national Republican support.
Brown acknowledged Monday that this may be the most challenging contest of his career. “Certainly,” the three-term incumbent told reporters in Dayton, “this may be my toughest election.”
The senator ended the preliminary reporting period on February 28 with a cash advantage of $13.5 million compared to Moreno's $2.4 million. But if the primaries are any indication, Moreno will be prepared to pour his own resources into the race.
The outside funding already amassed in Ohio shows how competitive both parties hope to be. The Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC tied to Democratic leadership, has reserved $65 million in television ads, by far the most of the seven states that booked early. On the Republican side, the Senate Leadership Fund and related groups have earmarked about $80 million.
This article and heading have been updated.
CNN's David Wright, Jeff Zeleny and Aaron Perish contributed to this report.
