Sherrod Brown has new GOP challenger in Bernie Moreno
Misty Severi
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Successful Ohio businessman Bernie Moreno filed paperwork to run for the Senate as a Republican in 2024 on Monday, challenging incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for the seat.
Moreno, who unsuccessfully ran for the GOP nomination last year, is the second Republican to run for the seat in the upper chamber this election cycle. State Sen. Matt Dolan announced his candidacy in January. Moreno has not declared his bid for national office but teased an announcement for next week.
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“Ohio deserves a conservative outsider with the courage to fight back against the DC Swamp and always put America First,” Moreno tweeted Tuesday. “So if you’re as sick and tired of the weak RINOs and corrupt career politicians as I am, please join me on April 18 in Milford, Ohio for a BIG announcement!”
Moreno dropped out of the 2022 election after former President Donald Trump endorsed his competitor Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who later won the seat by 7 percentage points. Trump’s endorsement of Vance came after a meeting with Moreno.
It is not clear who Trump will endorse in 2024, but Moreno’s daughter is married to former Trump aide and now Rep. Max Miller (R-OH). His daughter also worked on Trump’s reelection campaign.
The Cleveland hopeful’s entry into the race sets up what is expected to be an expensive primary in the state. The 2022 primary was driven by several self-funding candidates and was one of the costliest of the year. Moreno is considered an affluent businessman who made his wealth through owning multiple successful luxury car dealerships across multiple states.
Brown’s seat is considered one of the most vulnerable Democratic seats up for grabs next year despite Brown holding it for three terms. Ohio, which is considered a swing state, has been trending more Republican in the past few elections. Vance’s recent victory was a surprising defeat of former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) during the 2022 midterm elections.
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Other vulnerable Democratic seats in the Senate include Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT). Democrats hold a slim majority in the upper chamber, and Republicans flipped the House in the midterm elections.
Other Republicans have also toyed with joining the race, including Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who has acknowledged he is considering a run and has made efforts in recent weeks to court conservative donors. Another possible GOP entrant is Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH).