The Fox News Decision Desk projected Republican businessman Bernie Moreno will win his race for Senate in Ohio against Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown.
Brown, who was considered one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats, is projected to lose in a race that will have significant implications on which party takes control of the Senate.
“We talked about wanting to have a red wave. I think what we have tonight is a red, white and blue wave in this country,” Moreno said at an election night event in Westlake, Ohio after his victory was projected.
“We’re tired of being treated like second-class citizens in our own country. We’re tired of leaders who think we’re garbage—tired of being treated like garbage,” he added, alluding to a recent comment made by President Biden about supporters of former President Trump.
Polls showed a neck-and-neck race between Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and GOP challenger Bernie Moreno. (Getty Images)
Brown, 71, is a native of Mansfield, Ohio, who has held political office since 1975 and is the chair of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Moreno, 57, is a Cleveland area businessman who was born in Colombia and moved to the United States at the age of five.
Brown, facing an uphill battle running as a Democrat in a state that Trump won by eight points in 2020, attempted to distance himself from the Biden-Harris record by running ads touting his efforts at the border. Brown also declined to attend the Democratic National Convention, which drew criticism from Republicans.
Brown also has a close relationship with Vice President Kamala Harris, which the Moreno campaign honed in on.
“Sherrod Brown and Kamala Harris conspired to pass the most liberal agenda in American history,” the Moreno campaign told Fox News Digital earlier this year. “Brown is in complete lockstep with Harris in her radical views and will help usher in the Green New Deal, Medicare for illegals, and tax hikes on the middle class.”
Senate candidate Bernie Moreno speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024. (Reuters/Jeenah Moon)
Moreno’s campaign often pointed out Brown’s long career in Washington, D.C., including his voting record that aligned with the Biden administration nearly 100% of the time.
Brown blanketed the airwaves with ads hammering Moreno on his business record and allegiance to Trump, and painted him as a radical on the abortion issue. The Ohio senator has also framed himself on the campaign trail as someone who works with both parties to get things done.
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Democrat Sherrod Brown has served in the Senate since 2007. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Sherrod works for Ohio, which is why he’s stood up to presidents of both parties to block bad trade deals, worked with Republicans to make sure Border Patrol agents and law enforcement officers have the resources they need, and demanded the Biden administration crack down on Chinese solar products that undercut Ohio manufacturers,” the campaign told Fox News Digital earlier this year.
Democrats held a 51-49 majority in the Senate going into election night, which includes independent senators who caucus with the Democrat Party.