Trump-backed Bernie Moreno unseats Sherrod Brown in U.S. Senate race

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohioans voted Tuesday to elect Republican Bernie Moreno as its next U.S. Senator, unseating the Democratic incumbent, Sen. Sherrod Brown, in unofficial results.

The Associated Press projected Moreno as the winner of the Senate race, which was one of the most expensive and closely watched in the country. With a majority in the chamber up for grabs, Moreno’s victory helped Republicans win back control. The Republican Party has secured at least 51 seats in the Senate.

Moreno ran on a platform of securing the border and getting “career politicians” out of Washington. He emerged from the Republican primary with the help of former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Trump easily won the state in the third straight election.

Moreno, 57, is a Colombian immigrant who became a multimillionaire through a line of car dealerships, later becoming a tech executive. He aligned himself with the MAGA wing of the party on the campaign trail.

Brown, 71 and a three-term senator, ran a campaign that focused on abortion rights, fair trade, and a pro-worker message. With immigration one of the key issues defining the race, Brown ran to the right of his party on issues like border security and immigration.