There’s nothing like a late Trump bump to help an Ohio Republican Senate candidate
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Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno, backed by former President Donald Trump and Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance, topped a three-man field in Tuesday’s Senate primary and moves on to the general election against third-term Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown in a race that will help decide control of the U.S. Senate. There’s little doubt Brown is facing his toughest Senate election, although some Ohio Republicans had expressed doubt about whether Moreno was his toughest possible opponent.
Trump endorsed Moreno in December and flew into the Dayton area for a rally Saturday to give him an important late boost in a tight race with state Sen. Matt Dolan. Moreno now hopes to repeat Vance’s 2022 election success as a Trump-backed political outsider and entrepreneur in a state Trump carried in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
Two long-time popular Ohio Republicans had endorsed Dolan over Moreno and the third Republican, Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman and Gov. Mike DeWine, who both won their last elections in landslides, expressed belief that Dolan, a veteran legislator more in their traditional Republican mode, would be the most effective choice.
When a Democrat-affiliated political action committee began running TV ads about Moreno highlighting his Trump support as a "MAGA fighter" and his anti-abortion position, DeWine pointed to that as proof Democrats wanted Moreno to win Tuesday because "they know he’s the weakest candidate" against Brown. Brown unseated DeWine in the 2006 Senate race.
Moreno’s campaign was sidetracked down the stretch when reports surfaced that he had settled a series of wage theft lawsuits and was once caught shredding documents. Less than a week before the primary, The Associated Press reported Moreno, now 57, in 2008 had joined an online site for those seeking casual sexual encounters. Moreno vehemently denied involvement, blaming an intern for signing him up as a prank.
With limited experience in debates or in unscripted campaign events, Moreno will go up against an opponent in Brown, 71, who’s been in elective office nearly continuously starting in the Ohio House five decades ago.
GOP strategist confident about Moreno’s chances
Veteran Ohio Republican strategist Mark Weaver thinks Brown is ripe for defeat, saying he benefited from a Democratic blowout year in 2006 and from facing weaker opponents in 2012 and 2018.
"He will have neither of these scenarios this year in red state Ohio. Joe Biden is a weak top of the ticket and Sherrod’s previous support in the Mahoning Valley (in northeast Ohio) is dissolving, given that so many of his policies and allies are antithetical to the working-class voters there," Weaver said.
The Colombia-born Moreno, who immigrated with his family and became a car dealership owner and tech executive, "came to America by following the rules and following a dream. His business experience and knowledge of the new economy will be a strong contrast with Sherrod Brown," Weaver said via email.
Brown has built a "dignity of work" brand focusing on middle-class Ohioans and pledged again Monday evening to "make sure their (Ohioans') hard work pays off." His campaign has been able to run ads in recent weeks highlighting his legislative achievements while Moreno, Dolan and LaRose have been beating up on each other in their primary campaign ads.
The extent to which those bruises can heal to allow Republicans to unite against Brown likely will be important this fall. And Moreno has to hope Trump will have enough time away from his legal entanglements and campaigning in swing states to give him another Ohio rally boost or two.
Dan Sewell is a regular Enquirer Opinion contributor. His email: dsewellrojos@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Trump-boosted Bernie Moreno faces election veteran Sherrod Brown