Trump Endorses ‘Political Outsider’ Bernie Moreno in Ohio Senate Race

Cleveland entrepreneur Bernie Moreno speaks to supporters at his 2024 U.S. Senate campaign kickoff in suburban Cincinnati on April 18, 2023. Everitt Townsend

Entrepreneur Bernie Moreno has received a glowing endorsement from former President Trump in what is set to be one of the most important 2024 Senate races in the country—the Ohio Senate Republican primary.

President Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday to throw his support behind Mr. Moreno with just three months until the March 19 primary.

Businessman Mr. Moreno—who announced his 2024 candidacy in April—is facing stiff competition from several high-profile Republicans to flip the seat currently held by Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is seeking a fourth term in office.

Tuesday’s endorsement will no doubt come as a blow to his biggest rivals, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and State Senator Matt Dolan.

In his endorsement, President Trump described Mr. Moreno as a “highly respected businessman from the great state of Ohio” and “exactly the type of MAGA fighter that we need in the United States Senate.”

“Bernie will always stand up to the fascist ‘nut jobs’ and the spineless RINOS in order to fight the corrupt deep state that is destroying our country,” President Trump said.

“Remember, we need a successful political outsider like Bernie to defeat Liberal career politician, Sherrod Brown, who has so poorly represented Ohio, and pretends that he’s all for the Policies of your Favorite President, Donald J. Trump, but then gets to the Senate and votes 100 percent for the horrendous Policies of Crooked Joe Biden, the worst President in the History of our Country,” he continued.

President Trump went on to warn the American public not to be “fooled” by Mr. Brown, who he said is a “radical left liberal who will always let you down.”

“He does not stand for Ohio values, and never will. Bernie Moreno, on the other hand, will always put America first,” he concluded.

In a follow-up post, President Trump said it is “time for the entire Republican Party to UNITE around Bernie’s campaign for Senate, so that we can have a BIG victory in what will be the most important Election in American History.”

President Trump also noted that the businessman is strong on a number of key issues, including the ongoing border crisis, crime, slashing taxes, election integrity, and more.

‘Solving Our Country’s Problems Requires Common Sense’

Mr. Moreno, who was born in Bogota, Colombia,  and moved to the United States with his family when he was five, will also “protect our under siege second amendment” rights, President Trump said.

Taking to X, on Tuesday, Mr. Moreno said he was “honored and thankful” for the endorsement.

“With President Trump back in the White House, we will Make America Great Again!” he wrote.

According to his official campaign website, Mr. Moreno is a luxury car dealer turned business owner. He co-founded blockchain firm ChampTitles in 2018 but recently sold his entire stake in the company and is no longer board chair.

“After a long, successful career, Bernie sold most of his business to begin focusing on his calling: protecting the American dream for another generation,” his campaign website states. “He saw the government calling some people essential and other hardworking Ohioans ‘unessential,’” it states.

“He saw schools shut down and China go unpunished for unleashing a virus on the world. He saw politicians afraid to take on the CCP for stealing our jobs and technology; buying our farmland; and influencing young minds via TikTok and Confucius Institutes.

“Solving our country’s problems requires common sense. In Washington, Bernie will fight to shrink government, protect our freedoms, stop the Chinese communist party from taking our data and land, and always put America First,” his campaign website concludes.

President Trump’s support is the latest in a number of high-profile endorsements Mr. Moreno has received since announcing in recent months, having also won the backing of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance.

However, an Emerson College Polling/WJW-TV Fox 8 Cleveland poll released in December found Mr. Moreno trailing slightly behind Mr. Brown at 32 percent and 42 percent, respectively.

Commenting on President Trump’s “powerful” endorsement of Mr. Moreno on Tuesday, National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesperson Mike Berg told multiple media outlets, “This will certainly be a huge benefit to Bernie Moreno.”