What you need to know about Ohio Politics and Policy
US Senate
What’s At Stake
The November election for the U.S. Senate in Ohio is pivotal, as it will help determine the balance of power in Congress and shape the direction of national policy on issues like healthcare, jobs, and abortion rights. Ohio’s Senate race could be the deciding factor in whether Democrats retain or lose their slim majority, which would influence the fate of the next President’s agenda on economic recovery, climate action, and reproductive freedoms.
IO Research and Analysis:
Who’s On Your Ballot
| Sherrod Brown Democrat | Bernie Moreno Republican | |
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| Hometown: | Cleveland, Ohio | Westlake, Ohio |
| Biography | Sherrod Brown is Ohio’s senior US Senator, first elected in 2006 following a long career in public service. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a Master’s degree in Education and Public Administration from Ohio State University. | Bernie Moreno is a businessman and entrepreneur with a background in the luxury car dealership industry. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of Michigan in Marketing |
| Prior employment/experience | U.S. Senate (2007-Present) U.S. House of Representatives (1993-2007) Ohio Secretary of State (1983-1991) Ohio House of Representatives (1975-1982) Before his career in politics, he taught at the Ohio State university Mansfield branch. | Political Experience: Candidate, U.S. Senate, Ohio (2023-2024), (2021-2022) Professional Experiences: 2010 – Present: President, Bernie Moreno Companies, including ownership and presidency of several dealerships in the Cleveland area |
| On Abortion | A supporter of abortion rights, Brown supported the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), which aimed to codify Roe v. Wade into law before the Supreme Court stuck it down. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe, Brown joined 48 Senate Democrats in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023 to restore comprehensive reproductive health care rights nationwide. Brown has consistently opposed the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the patient’s life. | Moreno has described himself as “absolutely pro-life, no exceptions.” He supports a federal abortion ban at 15 weeks, with exceptions in the case of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is in jeopardy. Moreno has also stated that he would oppose a bill protecting access to birth control, following the blockage of the Right to Contraception Act by Senate Republicans. He has expressed support for funding crisis pregnancy centers, which are organizations that typically provide counseling and resources aimed at encouraging patients to carry their pregnancies to term, often discouraging abortion. Moreno opposed November 2023’s Issue 1 regarding “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety” constitutional amendment, and bragged about donating $100,000 to a group that tried to defeat it. In February during a candidate forum Moreno suggested that women don’t need abortion rights as long as kind strangers are willing to help them with mundane tasks, like lifting strollers into overhead compartments on airplanes. |
| On Jobs and the Economy | Sherrod Brown is focused on protecting pensions, ending outsourcing, and supporting working families. Brown has been an advocate for the protection of pensions, particularly through his work on the Butch Lewis Act, which was included in the American Rescue Plan. This legislation provided financial assistance to struggling multi-employer pension plans, ensuring that millions of retirees received the benefits they were promised. Brown has pushed for policies that discourage outsourcing and encourage domestic manufacturing. He introduced the American Cars, American Jobs Act, which aimed to incentivize companies to produce goods in the U.S. rather than abroad. The legislation proposed removing tax benefits for companies that outsource jobs and instead offered tax credits to consumers who purchased vehicles made in the U.S. Also, Brown has been a vocal supporter of expanding the Child Tax Credit, which was temporarily increased as part of the American Rescue Plan. This expansion provided financial relief to millions of families, reducing child poverty and helping to boost the economy by increasing consumer spending | Moreno believes in a market-driven approach to wages and economic policy. An opponent of minimum wage laws, Moreno argues that the market should determine wages, with the government’s role being to invest in education and reduce business regulations. Moreno has committed to opposing all tax increases by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and supports policies aimed at reducing the need for public housing. His campaign priorities include massively reducing anti-growth regulations, cutting government spending, and ending inflation. |
| On Voting Rights and Fair Elections | Brown has voted and advocated for many measures to enhance voting rights and fair elections. In 2022, he took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to take up and pass two House-passed bills, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, two pieces of legislation to help protect the right to vote in the US by addressing the voter suppression and election subversion tactics. | Moreno has expressed concern regarding immigrants and voting, echoing great replacement rhetoric. He has also expressed that he wants to end early and mail-in voting except in limited circumstances. |
| On Healthcare | Sherrod Brown refused to accept Congressional health insurance until Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, which now ensures Ohioans will never be denied care because of a preexisting condition. He has introduced legislation, like the Inflation Reduction Act, and fought to lower healthcare costs, protect reproductive care, prevent overdoses, and fund cancer research in Ohio. In 2023, he filed an amicus brief against big pharma, urging the DC district court to uphold the constitutionality of allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices for consumers. | Moreno has been publicly critical of policies including the Affordable care act, stating that he wants the market to dictate healthcare prices. He has also opposed vaccine mandates |
| On Climate | Sherrod Brown is a strong advocate for climate action and has consistently supported policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting clean energy. He believes that addressing climate change is a necessary environmental measure as well as an economic opportunity to create jobs and strengthen American manufacturing. These policies include the Clean Energy Jobs Act, Brown co-sponsored this Act which aims to invest in clean energy technologies, improve energy efficiency, and create jobs in renewable energy. Brown introduced the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act to boost domestic solar manufacturing by providing tax incentives for American solar manufacturers in order to reduce reliance on foreign solar components. Brown also co-sponsored the Climate Stewardship Act, which advocates for more sustainable agricultural practices that sequester carbon and improve soil health. | Bernie Moreno has advocated for American energy independence, stating that energy is a top priority, expressing support for using coal and oil, extracting natural gas, as well as building more nuclear plants. In an interview Bernie Moreno said, “To protect the American auto industry, get rid of every single electric vehicle mandate, get rid of every EV incentive, allow the car companies here in America to make the cars that people want.” He has echoed this sentiment citing electric vehicle, solar, and wind industries as things he considers socialist and would stop if elected. |
| On Immigration and Border Security | Sherrod 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. | Moreno has expressed support for the construction of a border wall on the U.S./Mexico border, as well as deploying the military to the border. Ohio Republican Senate candidate Furthermore, Moreno recently claimed that border crossings were depleting Social Security funds in an op-ed published in the Cincinnati Enquirer, an assertion that is misguided and false. He has also called for mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, stating to NBC 21 News that “We are going to create the largest deportation in modern American history. Anybody who is in the country illegally will be and must be deported.” He also opposes sanctuary cities, which he believes undermine federal immigration laws, though opponents argue that such cities are vital for maintaining trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement. Moreno’s approach to immigration has sparked debate about the balance between security and the humane treatment of immigrants. |
| Endorsements: | UAW, Ohio Trades, Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio AFL-CIO, Ohio Education Association, NARAL, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, United Auto Workers, Alliance for Retired Americans, Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Fire Fighters | Donald Trump, JD Vance, Rep. Jim Jordan, Vivek Ramaswamy, Rep. Warren Davidson, Sen. Marco Rubio, Kari Lake, Gov. Kristi Noem, Sen. Marsha Blackburn,Rep. Byron Donalds, Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Ted Cruz AG Dave Yost, Turning Point Action, Associated Builders and Contractors, Moms for America Action, Ohio Value Voters, Ohio Right to Life, Republican Party of: Butler County, Delaware County, Clermont County, Madison County, Brown County, Preble County, Strongsville County, Greene County, Warren County, Scioto County, Cuyahoga County, Cuyahoga Valley |
| Campaign Website: | https://www.sherrodbrown.com/ | https://berniemoreno.com/ |
| Social Media: | Official website Official Facebook Official Twitter Official Instagram Campaign Facebook Campaign Twitter Campaign Instagram Campaign YouTube Campaign TikTok | Campaign Facebook Campaign Twitter Campaign Instagram Campaign YouTube |