CINCINNATI (WXIX) – The battle for the U.S. Senate in Ohio is not only an important race this election season, but an expensive one.
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D) is fighting to keep his seat against Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno (R) in the nation’s second-most expensive race, according to a report from OpenSecretsan unbiased data non-profit organization.
More than $113.2 million has been raised between the candidates. Senator Brown has raised the most money for his campaign – $89 million – while Moreno has raised more than $24 million. OpenSecrets reported.
| Candidate | Money raised | Money spent |
|---|---|---|
| Sherrod Brown (D) | $89,090,741 | $86,050,236 |
| Bernie Moreno (right) | $24,100,960 | $21,310,662 |
According to a report from AdImpacta company that tracks advertising spend.
A Democratic incumbent running in the red state of Ohio
These are crucial elections for Democrats and Republicans, as they could play a role in which party controls the US Senate in 2025.
With a total of 100 seats – 47 Democrats, four left-wing Independents and 49 Republicans – the Democratic Party barely has a majority, according to the US Senate website. Moreover, there are 34 seats to win this year: 19 blue, 10 red and four independent.
Despite having 17 years under his belt, Brown’s seat is still not guaranteed as he continues to rally through red Ohio against Moreno.
According to the last two presidential elections, the majority of Ohioans voted for President Donald Trump 2016 and 2020 election results.
Additionally, there are more than 691,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats in Ohio, based on a May report from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
| Party | Number of registered voters |
|---|---|
| Republican | 1,508,641 |
| Democrat | 817,063 |
| Not connected | 5,734,850 |
With Trump and Ohio native and US vice presidential candidate JD Vance backing Moreno, the battle for Brown will not be easy.
Meet the candidates
Sherrod Brown
Brown, 71, of Mansfield, Ohio, chairs the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and has worked across party lines to pass bipartisan legislation.
According to US Congress websiteBrown has sponsored and co-sponsored 269 acts in his career, including:
- Building Chips in America Act of 2023: Creates environmental standards for certain made-in-America semiconductor projects. The Department of Commerce now serves as the lead agency to provide financial assistance where it is needed. States may also “take responsibility for an environmental review” for a semiconductor project.
- Veterans COLA Act of 2023: Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase disability compensation, dependent compensation, clothing allowances for certain disabled veterans, and compensation for surviving spouses and children. The amounts payable will increase with the cost of living. The VA is also obliged to publish the amounts to be paid.
- All American Flag Act: Requires all American flags purchased by the U.S. government to be 100% made in America.
He also helped pass the INTERDICT And REFUSE Fentanyl Laws and bills aimed at supporting border security and preventing drug trafficking.
This year, the incumbent president says he wants to tackle many problems in his next term. Here are a few that are prominent and featured on his campaign site:
- Standing up for special interestssuch as Norfolk South.
- Putting Ohio first with legislation that would benefit Ohio businesses and create jobs.
- Fighting for rural Ohioans by providing resources to rural areas, such as improving infrastructure and transportation.
- Supporting veterans and the military by increasing wages and benefits.
Bernie Moreno
During Ohio’s March 2024 primary, Moreno, a former car salesman, defeated two politicians: State Senator Matt Dolan and Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
Moreno, 57, of Westlake, Ohio, was born in Bogata, Colombia. When he was five years old, his family moved to the US and he later became a citizen when he was 18 years old.
After purchasing a car dealership in 2005, Moreno co-founded ChampTitles in 2018 and eventually sold his stake in the company once it became successful.
Now the 57-year-old is on his next mission: “Protecting the American dream for a new generation,” says his campaign website.
Like Brown, Moreno has more than a dozen platforms listed on its website, including:
- Enabling parents to make choices for their children’s education
- Improve security at the US-Mexico border, place a ban on amnesties and “destroy the Mexican drug cartels”
- Ban late-term abortions
- Increase election security
- Make free markets work
More than 2.2 million voters returned their ballots by November 1, according to the Ohio Secretary of State. voting box.
On Election Day, polls in Ohio close at 7:30 p.m.
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