Ohio Senate Race: Republican field gets more crowded as Cleveland businessman announces run

CLEVELAND — Conservative businessman Bernie Moreno announced Tuesday that he is entering the race for the U.S. Senate to replace outgoing Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who decided not to run for re-election.

Moreno came to the U.S. as a child with his family from Bogota, Columbia and now lives in Cleveland.

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He is a car dealer and tech company executive who says he is running to “stop the socialist agenda, protect the gains made by President Donald J. Trump, and protect the American Dream.”

Moreno’s campaign announcement video shows images of socialist icons Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, and seconds later, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Oberlin College, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying “Biden, Harris, the extreme left, their allies in the media, big tech and universities pushed Socialism at every turn, using cancel culture to completely silence us.”

Moreno joins a race already attracting a potential crowd of candidates. Former State Treasurer Josh Mandal and former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken have already announced their candidacies. Also, Rep. Mike Turner, R- Dayton, has announced that he is giving the race a close look. Turner is now traveling the state and talking with potential supporters. Author J.D. Vance is reportedly interested in running as a Republican and has the required financial backing but has not committed to the race yet.

On the Democratic side no candidates have stepped forward with a formal announcement yet. Rep. Tim Ryan of northeast Ohio is considered to be a certain Senate candidate. Meanwhile former State Health Director, Dr. Amy Acton, is also considering a run for the Senate as a Democrat.

The filing deadline is not until Feb. 2, 2022. The Primary Election is now set for May 3, 2022.

Cox Media Group