2024 OH Senate Race

2024 OH Senate Race 1

Summary

The 2024 United States Senate election in Ohio was held on November 5, 2024.  The seat was  held by Sherrod Brown.

The two leading candidates were Sherrod Brown – Democrat and Bernie Moreno – Republican. Sherrod Brown was seeking a fourth term in office. The last time Republicans won this seat was in 2000.

Moreno easily won the race although Brown did much better than Kamala Harris.

 

OnAir Post: 2024 OH Senate Race

News

How Sherrod Brown is navigating Harris’ candidacy
CNN, Manu Raju and Haley TalbotAugust 4, 2024

Sen. Sherrod Brown doesn’t plan to campaign with Vice President Kamala Harris.

He plans to skip the Democratic National Convention. And the Democratic senator isn’t going to defend Harris’ record — or offer praise to President Joe Biden or to Harris over their handling of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Instead, Brown — now embroiled in a high-stakes reelection battle central to the fight for the next Senate majority — is making this calculation: finding a way to disqualify his opponent, Bernie Moreno, in the eyes of GOP-leaning voters and independents. And it starts with attacking Moreno’s character, past business practices and position on abortion — all as he tries to avoid being tied to the top of his ticket.

“It’s not left or right. It’s not who you vote for, for president,” Brown told CNN at a textile company just outside of Cleveland. “It’s who stands up for people in the state.”

Ohio’s Senate race ranks among top most expensive contests of 2024
Open Secrets , Lydia McFarlaneApril 25, 2024

As of the end of the first quarter, Ohio’s Senate race is proving to be one of the country’s most expensive elections as Republicans push to unseat Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown and clear a path to a Senate majority.

Ohio’s Senate race has attracted more outside spending than any other congressional race this cycle and is the third most expensive congressional race in terms of campaign fundraising — totaling $65 million as of the end of the first quarter of 2024.

While Brown is the sole Democrat holding statewide office in the increasingly red state, he is one of the Senate’s top fundraisers this cycle and has a deep war chest. As of March 31, Brown has raised just over $39 million through his campaign committee and entered April with nearly $16 million in cash on hand, while Republican challenger Bernie Morenon has raised about $11.2 million and entered April with about $2.1 million in the bank.

 

About

Background

Ohio has trended towards Republicans in recent years and is now seen as a moderately red state at the federal level. Republicans hold the other U.S. Senate seat and all statewide executive offices along with majorities in both state legislative chambers and the U.S. representative delegation. However, in the 2022 midterms Democrats managed to net a gain of one seat in Ohio’s U.S. House delegation.

Former President Donald Trump won Ohio in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections by about 8 points. Republican J. D. Vance defeated Democrat Tim Ryan in the 2022 U.S. Senate election by about 6 points.

Brown was first elected in 2006, defeating then-incumbent U.S. Senator Mike DeWine (now governor), and has won reelection in 2012 and 2018. Despite Ohio becoming a reliably Republican state in recent years, Brown has remained popular among his constituents. Because of this, the race is considered to be a tossup; however, most polls show Brown to be the favorite to win.

Source: Wikipedia

Money

Total Raised and Spent

Source: Open Secrets

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report[85]TossupNovember 9, 2023
Inside Elections[86]TossupNovember 9, 2023
Sabato’s Crystal Ball[87]TossupNovember 9, 2023
Decision Desk HQ/The Hill[88]TossupJune 8, 2024
Elections Daily[89]TossupMay 4, 2023
CNalysis[90]TossupDecember 21, 2023

Latest Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Sherrod
Brown (D)
Bernie
Moreno (R)
OtherUndecided
Marist CollegeJune 3–6, 20241,137 (RV)± 3.6%50%45%1%4%
National Public AffairsMay 28–29, 2024801 (LV)± 3.5%54%46%

Web Links

Sherrod Brown

Current Position: US Senator since 2006
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Positions: US Representative from 1993 – 2007; State Delegate from 1975 – 1982
Other Positions:  Chair, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Sherrod Brown taught at the Mansfield branch campus of the Ohio State University from 1979 to 1981.

Brown is the senior United States senator from Ohio, a seat which he has held since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. representative for Ohio’s 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007 and the 47th secretary of state of Ohio from 1983 to 1991. He started his political career in 1975 as an Ohio state representative.

Featured Quote: 
When you get your Child Tax Credit payment, just remember: Every single Republican in Congress voted against it.

Sen. Sherrod Brown: ‘The GOP Has Become The Anti-Worker Party’ | MSNBC

OnAir Post: Sherrod Brown – OH

Bernie Moreno

Bernardo Moreno is a Colombian-American businessman and political candidate. He is the Republican nominee in the 2024 United States Senate election in Ohio, challenging incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown. Wikipedia
Born: 1967 (age 57 years), Bogotá, Colombia

Party: Republican Party
Spouse: Bridget Moreno
Children: 4
Books: Pigouvian Taxes: A Strategic Approach, MORE
Education: University of Michigan
Nationality: American, Colombian

onAir Post: Bernie Moreno

Issues

Sherrod Brown

Source: Campaign site

See also issue statements on Senator Brown’s government site.

SENIORS
Sherrod is fighting to protect the Medicare and Social Security that Ohioans have earned. He will always stand against attacks on these programs and attempts to privatize them.

Sherrod’s also fighting to lower the costs of prescription drugs for our seniors and increase transparency in the prescription drug supply chain. Sherrod was instrumental in passing legislation to lower drug costs for Ohioans on Medicare and cap the price of insulin to $35 a month. President Trump signed Sherrod’s legislation – the Know the Lowest Price Act – to crack down on gag clauses prohibiting pharmacists from telling seniors how to save more money.

Sherrod will always fight to protect Ohio workers’ retirement. When Wall Street put many Ohioans’ pensions at risk, most people in Washington wrote off the fight to save them as a lost cause. Sherrod refused to give up, and after a years-long fight, he got it done and protected the pensions of over 100,000 Ohioans through the Butch Lewis Act. Now, he is fighting to restore benefits for more than 5,000 Delphi salaried retirees.

KEEPING OHIO COMMUNITIES SAFE
Sherrod supports the men and women of law enforcement who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. He’s fighting every day to make sure all law enforcement officers have the resources, training, and support they need to do their jobs well.

That includes getting law enforcement officers the tools and support they need to combat the deadly fentanyl crisis. Sherrod’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act will support law enforcement in Ohio by targeting the illicit fentanyl supply chain — from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs in Mexico. Sherrod also introduced and helped pass the INTERDICT Act, which became law under President Trump, to give border patrol officers the latest technology to detect opioids before law enforcement officers are exposed or opioids can make it into Ohio communities.

Sherrod has introduced additional legislation to provide drug containment devices to frontline border patrol agents and provide training on their proper use and worked with former Senator Rob Portman to introduce legislation to crack down on addiction-fueled human trafficking.

Sherrod also worked with Senator Thom Tillis to introduce legislation endorsed by the NAACP and the Fraternal Order of Police that would support law enforcement de-escalation training to protect our officers and make our communities safer.

SECURING THE BORDER
Sherrod believes presidents from both parties have failed to secure our southern border and has worked with Republicans and Democrats in Washington to strengthen the border, provide additional resources to border agents, and stop dangerous fentanyl from entering the country. Sherrod also supported the bipartisan border security bill, which was backed by border patrol agents.

Sherrod introduced and helped pass the INTERDICT Act, which President Trump signed into law to give border patrol officers the latest technology to detect dangerous opioids and other drugs.

Sherrod’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which Sherrod successfully worked on for months with Republicans to pass, will combat the country’s fentanyl crisis and save lives in Ohio by targeting the illicit fentanyl supply chain.

WORKERS, TRADE, & JOBS
Sherrod is fighting for an economy where hard work pays off for everyone – no matter who you are, where you live, or what you do.

Throughout his career, Sherrod’s stood up to bad trade deals that let corporations ship Ohio jobs overseas. He wrote an overhaul of our trade enforcement laws that allowed Ohio companies to fight back against unfair competition and he passed the strongest-ever Buy America rules to ensure American tax dollars support American workers. Sherrod also worked to pass the CHIPS Act, which will invest in good manufacturing jobs at home and bring semiconductor production back to where it belongs: Ohio.

Thanks to that bipartisan legislation, Intel is building a new semiconductor plant – built by union workers with a project labor agreement – in New Albany, Ohio, which is expected to create over 10,000 new, good-paying jobs, including union construction jobs that don’t require a college degree.

Sherrod knows a union card means higher wages, better benefits, greater retirement security, and more control over your schedule. That’s why he’s fought to make it easier for workers to organize a union and is leading the effort to protect workers’ right to collectively bargain. He’s also led the fight to expand overtime pay for workers and increase worker protections to make sure Ohioans’ hard work pays off – including cracking down on wage theft and guaranteeing paid sick days and family leave.

Sherrod is also fighting to raise the minimum wage and has introduced legislation to make sure workers have the advanced notice and training they deserve when companies adopt new technology that will affect their jobs.

Sherrod has also organized over 160 summer manufacturing camps across the state to give Ohio students and their parents the opportunity to learn about manufacturing and encourage our kids to build their futures in our state.

Sherrod fought to save the American auto industry, protecting nearly 800,000 Ohio jobs. Throughout his career, Sherrod fought bad trade deals that shipped jobs overseas and demanded auto industry leaders reinvest in American workers and bring their manufacturing lines back to the United States.

Now, Sherrod is making sure that the next generation of American made vehicles are built in Ohio, by Ohio workers, in good-paying union jobs. He successfully fought for Lordstown battery plant workers to be included in the national UAW contract to make sure they have the union benefits and are paid the wages they deserve. Sherrod also helped auto manufacturing facilities keep jobs in Ohio.

KEEPING OHIO COMMUNITIES SAFE
Sherrod supports the men and women of law enforcement who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. He’s fighting every day to make sure all law enforcement officers have the resources, training, and support they need to do their jobs well.

That includes getting law enforcement officers the tools and support they need to combat the deadly fentanyl crisis. Sherrod’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act will support law enforcement in Ohio by targeting the illicit fentanyl supply chain — from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs in Mexico. Sherrod also introduced and helped pass the INTERDICT Act, which became law under President Trump, to give border patrol officers the latest technology to detect opioids before law enforcement officers are exposed or opioids can make it into Ohio communities.

Sherrod has introduced additional legislation to provide drug containment devices to frontline border patrol agents and provide training on their proper use and worked with former Senator Rob Portman to introduce legislation to crack down on addiction-fueled human trafficking.

Sherrod also worked with Senator Thom Tillis to introduce legislation endorsed by the NAACP and the Fraternal Order of Police that would support law enforcement de-escalation training to protect our officers and make our communities safer.

STANDING UP TO SPECIAL INTERESTS
Sherrod has always stood up to special interests to level the playing field for Ohioans. Whether it’s Big Pharma, Big Oil, or Big Banks, Sherrod is fighting back against the Wall Street, profit-at-all-costs business model to make sure hard work pays off for all Ohioans.

After Norfolk Southern’s greed and incompetence led to train derailments across Ohio – including the toxic train derailment in East Palestine – Sherrod partnered with Republicans to hold the rail lobby accountable and protect all Ohio communities from similar derailments.

When Silicon Valley banking executives cashed out after running their banks into the ground, Sherrod made sure Ohio banks, credit unions, and small businesses had the resources they needed to stay afloat. Now, Sherrod is working across the aisle to pass the strongest bank reform law since Dodd-Frank to hold CEOs and executives accountable for their misconduct and make sure big banks – not Ohioans – pay for their bad decisions.

Sherrod stood up to Big Pharma to finally allow Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies to get the lowest costs for Ohio seniors and continues to fight to lower drug costs for all Ohioans. He also passed the first-ever law to increase taxes on stock buybacks – where executives reward themselves instead of investing in workers and innovation – to support the economy.

FIGHTING FOR RURAL OHIOANS
Sherrod knows that rural communities are integral to the fabric of our state and is fighting to make sure rural Ohioans have every opportunity to get ahead.

The first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in nearly 50 years, Sherrod is fighting for Ohio’s local farms and agricultural sector. In 2018, Sherrod secured key priorities in the Farm Bill, including provisions to improve water quality in Ohio and permanent funding to allow Ohio farmers to sell products directly to consumers. Sherrod is also working to rein in abuse of the farm payment system and ensure taxpayer support is targeted to local Ohio farmers, not corporate agribusinesses.

Sherrod believes every Ohio family and Ohio business should have reliable, high-speed internet which is why he led the fight to get new Ohio households connected to the internet. He’s also fighting to make high-quality child care more available and affordable in rural communities to support all Ohio parents and our economy.

Sherrod secured transformational infrastructure investments that are reaching communities across Ohio – grants that will go towards making our roads and bridges safer, upgrading essential clean water infrastructure, updating regional airports, and improving power lines to ensure all Ohioans have reliable access to electricity. Sherrod will always fight for investments that create jobs, support economic development, and attract businesses to Ohio’s rural communities.

Sherrod also defended the Appalachian Regional Commission – an economic development agency dedicated to strengthening economic growth across Appalachia – from harmful cuts to ensure it can continue to be a resource for Ohio communities.

VETERANS & MILITARY
Sherrod believes we have a sacred obligation to support all those who serve in our nation’s military – both while they serve and as veterans. That is why he has supported efforts to increase pay and benefits for our men and women in uniform and why he has fought to ensure Ohio military bases and installations have the resources and facilities necessary to support their missions.

Sherrod knows that those who serve should have world-class health care. Too often – from Vietnam, to Afghanistan, to Iraq – our nation has failed to provide care for those suffering from toxic exposure, whether from Agent Orange or toxic burn pits. Senator Brown led the years-long fight to ensure that all veterans exposed to toxins get the health care they deserve – from leading efforts to ensure that reservists exposed to Agent Orange from the planes they worked on received the care they needed to finally passing the PACT Act, the most comprehensive expansion of health care for veterans exposed to toxins in our country’s history.

The legislation is named after Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, a Central Ohio veteran who passed away in 2020 at age 39 from lung cancer after exposure to burn pits during his deployment in Iraq in 2006. Sherrod is now holding roundtables with Ohio veterans across the state to ensure our veterans know how to access care.

Sherrod successfully secured eight new C-130 aircraft for the Youngstown Air Reserve Station and pushed the Air Force to locate their first cyber mission in Mansfield. Sherrod also worked with former Senator Rob Portman and others across the aisle to make sure that Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has the most up to date facilities in the world to ensure its jobs and missions remain in Dayton.

EQUAL RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Sherrod believes hard work should pay off for every American. No one should be denied a fair shot because of their race, who they love, or their gender.

Through his work in the Senate, Sherrod has fought to empower Ohio’s African American communities through small business development and expanding opportunities for good-paying, union jobs. He helped establish My Brother’s Keeper in Ohio, a network of community-based chapters dedicated to improving outcomes for young men of color across the state.

Sherrod voted against the Defense of Marriage Act and has consistently stood against efforts to discriminate against or punish members of the LGBTQ community. He is working to pass legislation to expand federal civil rights protections and fight LGBTQ discrimination in housing and the workplace.

As Secretary of State, Sherrod expanded voter registration and made it easier to vote. In the Senate, Sherrod is fighting back against efforts to disenfranchise Ohioans. He wants to restore the Voting Rights Act and opposes the laws that make it harder for people of color, seniors, students, and working-class Ohioans to vote.

ABORTION ACCESS & PROTECTING WOMEN’S HEALTH
Sherrod has always believed that a woman’s medical decisions are between her and her doctor – not politicians.

Both before and after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Sherrod fought to restore abortion protections for women across the country. He’s also fighting for women’s access to affordable birth control and family planning services and is standing against attacks on organizations like Planned Parenthood and fertility treatments like IVF.

In 2023, Sherrod supported and campaigned for the Ohio ballot initiative that protected abortion in the state’s constitution.

HEALTH CARE
Sherrod believes all Ohioans should have quality health care – and they shouldn’t have to pay exorbitant prices to Big Pharma or insurance companies to get it. He refused Congressional health care until Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, and now gets his health insurance through the exchange.

Sherrod is fighting to make sure all Ohioans can access affordable, reliable healthcare and is taking on Big Pharma to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Sherrod was instrumental in passing legislation allowing the federal government to directly negotiate with drug companies to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries and securing a monthly $35 cap on out-of-pocket insulin costs for all Ohioans on Medicare. President Trump signed Sherrod’s Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act to save Ohioans money by increasing transparency on drug pricing information at the pharmacy counter.

Sherrod is leading the fight against the opioid crisis – from fighting fentanyl trafficking to expanding lifesaving addiction treatment. Sherrod worked with former Senator Rob Portman to expand treatment beds for Ohioans and passed legislation to support families impacted by addiction and to help newborns suffering withdrawal symptoms.

Deadly fentanyl has hurt too many Ohioans and Sherrod is tackling the crisis at its source by cracking down on illicit supply chains in China and Mexico. His bipartisan legislation – the FEND Off Fentanyl Act – has been praised by law enforcement officers across Ohio and the nation.

Bernie Moreno

Source: Campaign site

I am running for the United States Senate because, for too long, the men and women who move Ohio forward, American workers, have been left behind by career politicians like Sherrod Brown and Joe Biden.

All public policy priorities in America should revolve around a simple concept: what is good for American workers and families? All elected officials should strive to create a growing middle class where the American Dream is accessible to anyone, regardless of their background.

Specifically, these sixteen priorities will do just that:

1. Empower parents to make education choices

2. Secure America’s borders, stop amnesty and destroy the Mexican Drug Cartels

3. Restore the integrity of our elections

4. Massively reduce anti-growth regulations, cut government spending, and end inflation

5. Beat Communist China

6. Support our greatest ally, Israel, and fight to put a stop to all forms of antisemitism in the United States, especially on our college campuses

7. Hold Big Tech accountable and break up big media

8. Protect Moms, Protect Families, and Protect Life by supporting a ban on late term abortions

9. Empower local law enforcement to ensure Safe Communities

10. Vigorously defend our constitutional rights, especially the Second Amendment

11. Restore American Energy Independence

12. Allow free markets to work

13. Enact term limits for members of Congress

14. Restoring American Manufacturing

15. End Wokeness and Cancel Culture

16. End Socialism in America

Skip to toolbar