Ohio’s US Senate race is set: Republican Bernie Moreno will face US Sen. Sherrod Brown

Republican Bernie Moreno, Donald Trump’s pick for Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, has secured the Republican nomination according to the Associated Press. The AP called the race at 8:35 p.m., but the results will remain unofficial until they’re certified in about three weeks. Moreno will face Democratic Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. Some experts have predicted that the race may be key in deciding control over the U.S. Senate in 2025.

Throughout the primary race Moreno has staked out unabashedly right-wing, pro-Trump positions. One of his most popular pitches is to deport every person who is in the country illegally — a policy even his Republican opponents, state Sen. Matt Dolan and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, said would be a logistical nightmare that could damage the economy.

But Republican voters loved it. So did former President Trump, who promised the “largest deportation operation in American history” in Dayton last weekend.

Moreno also calls for labeling drug cartels terrorist organizations and eliminating birthright citizenship, which is protected under the constitution. He has voiced support for a national ban on abortions after 15 weeks and has previously described himself as “100% pro-life, no exceptions.” Despite arguing for federal legislation limiting abortion he dismissed the idea of federal protections for IVF, after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling put the procedure in limbo.

Moreno’s victory reiterates the power of Trump’s endorsement among Ohio Republicans.

In the 2022 U.S. Senate race, Trump’s backing helped Republican Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance distinguish himself in a crowded Republican field.

If recent polling is to be believed, a Trump rally over the weekend in Dayton gave Moreno a late — and crucial — boost ahead of election day. Prior to Trump’s intervention, polling from Emerson College suggested Dolan held a narrow lead, with almost a third of Republicans still undecided. After the Dayton rally, though, Moreno’s share of respondents jumped 15 points.

Nick Evans has spent the past seven years reporting for NPR member stations in Florida and Ohio. He got his start in Tallahassee, covering issues like redistricting, same sex marriage and medical marijuana. Since arriving in Columbus in 2018, he has covered everything from city council to football. His work on Ohio politics and local policing have been featured numerous times on NPR. Follow OCJ Reporter Nick Evans on Twitter.

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