First-term Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) is officially committing to the 2024 Ohio Senate race, endorsing businessman Bernie Moreno, who teased a bid for the race and officially entered it last month.
I’m excited to support Bernie Moreno for Senate. He’s a good friend, a job creator and will be a fantastic senator. We’d make a great team! https://t.co/eTdVZsYgfn
— JD Vance (@JDVance1) May 22, 2023
In a statement endorsing Moreno, Vance addressed him by name and called him a “friend,” then added: “Bernie is a lifelong businessman who has created thousands of well-paying middle-class jobs and is a strong America First Conservative , who will never stop fighting to protect Ohio workers and families, Bernie is committed to securing our southern border by going tough on China and taking on the woke corporations waging war against our conservative values.” Fox News reported.
“It’s time to turn around the establishment insiders who are selling our country to special interests and elect more political outsiders like Bernie, who always puts America first in Washington. I look forward to having Bernie as my colleague in the U.S. Senate,” Vance added.
A source close to Vance told Fox News the endorsement has to do with avoiding a “damn primary.” According to the source, “aside from being personally close to Bernie and seeing him as an ideological ally, JD is backing Bernie this early because he is confident that we won’t see a repeat of the bloody primary fight he had to deal with last year, which left him with depleted resources before the general election. He believes Bernie is the candidate best positioned to quickly unite both conservative citizens and Ohio’s donor class around his Republican campaign. strongest chance to beat Sherrod Brown next year.”
Vance also approved Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) replaces retiring Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) and former and potentially future President Donald Trump. After gaining Trump’s support last April in his own primary, Vance poll results increased before moving on win a crowded primary to replace former Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), who was retiring.
Such support for Moreno may make Trump likely to support him as well. Moreno ran in last year’s Senate primary but dropped out in February, and a Fox News report mentioned he did so after requesting and having a private meeting with Trump. Moreno subsequently endorsed Vance and campaigned for him, which included appearing as his opponent, former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), during the debate preparations. Vance defeated Ryan, winning 53.28% of the vote to Ryan’s 46.72%.
Moreno’s ties to Trump go further, as his daughter is the wife of Rep. Max Miller (R-OH), who served as an adviser to the former president and was supported by him. Trump also praised Moreno as news of his final announcement broke.
One person who almost certainly won’t get Trump’s endorsement is state Sen. Matt Dolan, who finished third last year behind Vance and former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel. even with AND last minute assist With mainstream media. Dolan claimed that voters want “go further” from Trump, although the former and potentially future president remains a relevant figure in Ohio, where Trump won the state in 2016 and 2020 by about 8 points. Dolan made the announcement earlier this year in January, and like Moreno, he is wealthy.
The elementary school may be even more crowded, however, as Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has publicly expressed interest in running on a “mid to overdue” summer schedule. According to local news site WLWT. NBC News also reported on this earlier this month that’s what he expects announce “soon”. LaRose won re-election last November, defeating Democrat Chelsea Clark by 20 points and touted that he was the only sitting secretary of state supported by Trump.
Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) may also be a candidate.
The Ohio Senate race is one of the best races to watch in 2024, if not the race. The seat, currently held by Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, is considered a priority for Republicans under a Senate map that already looks favorable to the party. Other top races include West Virginia, where Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has yet to announce his intentions, and Montana, where Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) has announced he is seeking re-election.
Both Cook’s political report and Sabato’s crystal ball they think the Ohio Senate race is like this “Toss-Up,” while Inside Elections considers it a “battleground Democrat” race.
