A heated Republican primary for an Ohio Senate seat has turned into a contentious battle between Trump loyalists and the state's more traditional conservatives.
The trio of contenders competing for the opportunity to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown are Secretary of State Frank LaRose, state Sen. Matt Dolan, and businessman Bernie Moreno.
Moreno has secured endorsements from prominent Ohio figures, including the state's junior senator, J.D. Vance, Rep. Jim Jordan, and notably, former President Donald Trump.
During a rally in Dayton over the weekend headlined by Trump, Moreno declared, "This is the final gasp of breath of the swamp RINO establishment in Ohio." RINO stands for "Republican in Name Only," a label used by Trump and his supporters to criticize those in the Republican party who oppose the former president. "I urge you to come out on Tuesday to strike it right in the heart and show that in Ohio, we prioritize America first," Moreno emphasized.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a representative of the more traditional Republican faction, publicly threw his support behind a different contender last week. DeWine and his wife, Fran, endorsed Dolan for the position, a candidate also labeled as a "RINO" by Trump.
"We believe this proven conservative is the strongest candidate to beat Sherrod Brown in the fall," they wrote in a statement.
DeWine, a former senator, lost his seat to Brown in 2006. Brown is now seeking his fourth term in the Senate in a state that trends red but was once considered a battleground state. Brown is the only Democrat who has won a statewide election in Ohio since 2006, aside from the state Supreme Court.
In 2022, Trump-back candidates swept key primary races, but several eventually lost their general elections – allowing Democrats to deflect the "red wave" Republicans expected.
Vance was an exception. He was first elected to the Senate in 2022 with Trump's endorsement, defeating Tim Ryan and filling the vacancy left by the retirement of moderate Republican Sen. Rob Portman. Vance won by about 6 points, although Portman defeated Democratic challenger Ted Strickland in 2016 by roughly 37 points. Earlier this month, Portman threw his support behind Dolan.
Although LaRose didn't receive Trump's endorsement, a campaign spokesperson said that he'd be a Trump ally if he's elected to the Senate. The spokesperson called LaRose a "proven conservative who voters can trust." Trump backed LaRose in the 2022 primary for Secretary of State, and ahead of the 2022 election, LaRose tweeted about the "serious problem" of voter fraud.
Ohio GOP Primary Sees Funding Discrepancies Among Candidates
In the latest quarter of 2023, LaRose emerged as the top fundraiser in the Ohio GOP primary race. However, despite his fundraising success, LaRose lagged behind his Republican rivals in cash reserves as the new year began. Dolan and Moreno, on the other hand, had the advantage of being able to partially finance their campaigns through personal wealth. Dolan, whose family owns the Cleveland Guardians baseball team, and Moreno, who owns a car dealership, have utilized their personal resources to bolster their campaigns.
On the Democratic side, significant spending has also been observed in the Ohio GOP primary. Duty and Country PAC recently launched an advertisement highlighting Trump's endorsement of Moreno and his stance on a national abortion ban. The PAC's funding source, a dark money organization linked to the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, underscores the strategic investments being made by Democrats in the primary.
This tactic mirrors the successful approach employed by Democrats during the 2022 midterm elections, where they strategically supported far-right Republican candidates in primaries with the belief that they would be more vulnerable in the general election. The Ohio Senate race, identified as one of the three "toss-up" races by the Cook Political Report, holds significant importance as Republicans target Brown's seat in their bid to secure Senate control.
Steve Daines, the chair of the Senate Republican campaign arm, has stressed the critical nature of candidate recruitment in this election cycle, endorsing candidates in various Republican primaries. Despite this, Daines has refrained from endorsing a specific candidate in the Ohio Senate race, indicating the competitive nature of the primary field.
Exclusive Interview with Senator Daines
During an exclusive interview with CBS News's Major Garrett, Senator Daines discussed the upcoming elections and the impact of President Trump's endorsements on candidates. He highlighted Mereno, Dolan, and LaRose as "strong candidates," acknowledging the significant boost that comes with Trump's endorsement.
Senator Daines reflected on the 2022 primary race, citing J.D. Vance as an example. Despite not leading in the primary initially, Vance secured victory after President Trump endorsed him, both in the primary and the general election.
Contributors: Jake Rosen, Hunter Woodall
