Bernie Moreno: Donald Trump’s choice will win Ohio Republican Senate primary, CNN reports

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CNN predicts that Bernie Moreno will win the Republican Senate primary in Ohio, a three-way race between the party’s presidential candidate Donald Moreno, who supported Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno. It will be a victory for Trump.

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 Democrats running for re-election in a state that Mr. Trump twice won, and he is one of two Democrats running for re-election in a state that Mr. Trump won twice, depending on who wins the White House. He is a top target for Republicans hoping to pick up one or two seats.

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 Democrats, 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.”

This election of the former president was due to the fact that national Republicans who decided to participate in the primary this year did not participate in this primary, in part to counter the candidate who has emerged as a flawed general election candidate in 2022. His involvement in the war was notable. The conservative Growth Club also backed Mr. Moreno, a Colombian-born man who made his fortune working as a car dealer.

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.

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 President Trump’s support, Mr. Moreno was able to use the former president’s support as a weapon to quell any doubts about his past loyalties.

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.

Mr. Moreno will next face Mr. Brown, who was unopposed in Tuesday’s primary, which is trending red. Barack Obama won Ohio in 2008 and 2012, but the state swung toward Trump in the next two presidential elections. Brown, 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.

The three-term incumbent acknowledged Monday that this may be the most difficult election of his career. “Certainly, this might be my toughest race,” Brown told reporters in Dayton.

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 story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s David Wright and Jeff Zeleny contributed to this report.