Moreno earned a commanding victory on Tuesday night sweeping every county in the Buckeye State
Moments after delivering his victory speech in the GOP Ohio Senate primary on Tuesday night, businessman Bernie Moreno emphasized the significance of former President Trump’s endorsement and outlined his plans for both the general election campaign and his potential agenda as a U.S. senator.
“An endorsement from President Donald J. Trump is the most powerful endorsement in modern political history,” Moreno stated in an interview with Fox News Digital following his victory speech. “I was incredibly honored to receive it. There’s never been anything quite like it before, and probably won’t be anything quite like it afterward.”
“It was likely decisive because, ultimately, he’s the ultimate stamp of approval. Ohioans appreciate President Trump for valid reasons. During his presidency, we experienced global stability, low-interest rates, and rising wages. Objectively, things were good under President Trump’s administration, whereas they’re currently struggling under President Biden.”
When questioned if his victory tested Trump’s influence within the GOP, Moreno responded by framing his primary win as a “victory for the America First agenda.”
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“I’ve heard from people all across Ohio that they want leaders who prioritize putting America first,” Moreno remarked. “That should be the standard job description for any leader. They’re also fed up with career politicians—they’re tired of individuals who make politics their lifelong profession.”
Trump’s endorsement of Moreno in December significantly bolstered his position in the polls and aided his campaign message against Republican State Sen. Matt Dolan. Dolan had the endorsements of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman, both influential figures within Ohio’s Republican establishment.
Moreno, who secured a resounding victory on Tuesday night and appeared poised to win every county in the state, told Fox News that he anticipates his upcoming matchup with Brown will be “nasty.”
“It’s going to be quite contentious for one simple reason: Sherrod Brown can’t campaign on anything other than negativity,” Moreno asserted. “He lacks any substantial record of accomplishment. This individual has been a complete failure. He hasn’t delivered for Ohio. His policies have detrimentally affected working-class Americans, leaving him with no alternative but to resort to negative tactics. He must divert attention away from his track record of failure and disappointment. He’ll need to address his alignment with Joe Biden and his allegiance to Elizabeth Warren.”
“So what he’ll likely do is divert attention away from the real issues and probably dig up whatever he can find about me,” Moreno remarked. “I’m eager for a race focused on substantive issues. If we keep the conversation centered on issues, he’ll likely lose by a significant margin. However, he’s going to have substantial financial resources. He’s skilled at fundraising from various special interest groups, and rallying small donations from people across the nation. It’s going to be a fierce battle. I’m ready for it.”
Shortly after Moreno’s victory, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted on X that Ohio Republicans chose a “far-right anti-abortion multi-millionaire” who is “only looking out for himself.”
“Did they say Hispanic immigrant Bernie Moreno with a compelling life story sacrifices everything to save America?” Moreno joked when asked about that statement from the DSCC.
“Did they mention that I would be the first Hispanic elected statewide or the first South American-born Senator? None of that?” Moreno quipped in response to the DSCC’s statement.
Brown swiftly responded to Moreno’s victory on social media.
“The choice ahead of Ohio is clear: Bernie Moreno has spent his career and campaign putting himself first and would do the same if elected,” Brown posted on X after Moreno’s victory. “I’ll always work for Ohio.”
Moreno’s race will be closely watched in November, with many seeing Ohio as a prime opportunity for Republicans to regain control of the U.S. Senate.
If Moreno manages to defeat Brown, he shared with Fox News Digital his plans for “Day One” in Washington, D.C.
“On day one in the U.S. Senate, we’re going to select a majority leader because we’re confident we’ll have the majority,” Moreno stated. “This leader will offer a clear vision for the Republican Party and collaborate closely with President Trump to advance our agenda.”
“And of course, we must secure our border. A country without a border cannot exist. We need to ensure that immigrants coming into America contribute positively to our society, not undercut our wages. We must have zero tolerance for illegal immigration, and we will implement strict measures to enforce this.”
Moreno emphasized that achieving “energy dominance” will be a top priority from the outset.
“Not just energy independence,” Moreno clarified. “We’re talking about energy dominance. This involves coal mining, oil drilling, and natural gas extraction. Additionally, we need to revive nuclear power plant construction in the country to ensure affordable energy that facilitates the resurgence of manufacturing.”
“These are among the key actions we aim to take within the first 100 days. Furthermore, we intend to abolish the Department of Education, which exerts undue influence on our children and perpetuates indoctrination. We also recognize the need for reform within our various government agencies.”
Moreno expressed his eagerness to collaborate with Republican senators such as JD Vance, Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio.
“We’ll have a strong coalition of conservatives dedicated to advancing our agenda,” Moreno stated to Fox News. “Together, we’ll demonstrate to America the benefits of governance rooted in conservative principles—more freedom and liberty, and less government interference.”
Currently, Democrats hold a narrow 51-49 majority in the U.S. Senate. However, Republicans have an advantageous outlook for the 2024 Senate elections, with Democrats defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs. Among these, three seats are in red states that Trump won in 2020—Ohio, Montana, and West Virginia, with Democrat Senator Joe Manchin not seeking re-election.