Election season is back, as Ohio prepares for what is forming to be a heavily contested Senate Election. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown is up for re-election, for what could be his third term as a US Senator, having served since 2007. Senator Brown is extremely popular among Ohioans, however, in the recent election cycles, Ohio has veered towards the right, politically, resulting in the 2024 Senatorial Election being highly contested. With Senator Brown being a Democrat, and the incumbent (current office holder), it is up to Republicans to choose a candidate to face off against him next November.
As of now, the Republican primaries consist of three candidates. The candidates are: Fmr. Green Beret and current Secretary of State for the State of Ohio, Frank Larose, car salesman and businessman from Cleveland, Bernie Moreno, and State Senator for the 24th District, Matt Dolan. The frontrunner spot for the nomination has been claimed by both LaRose and Moreno, however, according to a recent Emerson College poll by 538, in a head-to-head with Senator Sherrod Brown matchup on whether the candidates would win or lose, LaRose was +1%, 38-39, Dolan +2%, 36-38, and Bernie Moreno was the only losing candidate with Senator Brown up 2%, 35-32.
Recently the Republican candidates met in Medina County to discuss the foreign policy issues of the election season and emphasize why each of them is better suited than their competitors, to represent Ohio as its second US Senator. Among the issues discussed was the continued funding of Ukraine and the US-Mexico border, which showed contrasting viewpoints by the candidates.
“As a matter of priorities, not another penny [to Ukraine] until we secure our southern border, but then… the most exceptional nation on Earth can do things to make sure the world is a safer place,” Secretary LaRose stated in the forum.
Secretary LaRose seemingly provided himself a way out in supporting Ukraine if the United States secured its own border; however, Mr. Moreno differed from the exception, pressing that nothing more should go to Ukraine.
“Let me answer crystal clear: absolutely no more money for Ukraine period,” Moreno asserted.
State Senator Dolan differs from the both of them, arguing instead that, regardless, we ought to support Ukraine. Senator Dolan pointed out that Ukraine controls 25% of the world’s wheat, reminding Ohioans that a Russian victory would mean higher gas prices in the US.
“If you want to talk to a farmer in Ohio, and ask them whether Ukraine means anything to them,” he added, “ask them how much they have been paying in fertilizer prices since this tragedy started,” Senator Dolan said. In addition to his statement supporting keeping Ukraine free, he also criticized the Biden Administrations’ approach to the war.
However, Senator Dolan has frequently made his position on the border clear, as well as criticizing the democrat incumbent Senator Brown; calling out Brown’s self-description as being “agnostic” on what to call drug cartels, and for describing the border crisis as a “far-right issue.” Senator Brown, however, has previously said that you can’t just “arrest and arrest and arrest” and “imprison everyone” in regard to the demand side of the war on drugs.
Ohio is a state that has leaned Republican in recent years and one that President Trump won in 2016 and 2020. However, despite the step to the right, Senator Sherrod Brown is keeping his seat highly contested, as the battle for who will flip Ohio’s second senate seat rages on. The question facing Ohio Republicans; who will challenge Brown?
