Marco Rubio endorses Bernie Moreno in tight Ohio Senate race

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) endorsed Bernie Moreno in the Ohio Senate race, giving the Republican candidate a key boost in the GOP primary for one of the most competitive races in the 2024 cycle.

Rubio threw his support behind Moreno on Wednesday morning, praising the Ohio businessman for his conservative values as a “political outsider.” The endorsement gives Moreno a high-profile endorsement in an increasingly crowded primary field as at least four candidates vie to face incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) next year.

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“The U.S. Senate needs more conservative leaders like Bernie Moreno. He’s fought through government red tape to build and run successful businesses,” Rubio said in a statement. “With Bernie in the U.S. Senate, Ohioans will know that they have someone beholden only to them, and that he will fight every day for their families, their communities, and their values.”

Moreno faces at least two major opponents in the GOP primary, including Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan. Moreno faced off against Dolan in the 2022 midterm elections, with both eventually falling to Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who upset former Rep. Tim Ryan and handed Republicans one of their few victories in the Senate. Vance has notably endorsed Moreno in the 2024 election.

“Senator Rubio sees clearly what people across Ohio are seeing — ours is the only campaign with the momentum and the vision to restore Ohio’s voice in the U.S. Senate,” Moreno said. “For too long, Sherrod Brown has talked a big game, and only delivered for D.C. special interests. I look forward to working with Senator Rubio, Senator Vance and other conservatives in the U.S. Senate who will fight for working families.”

The Ohio Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive elections of the entire 2024 cycle, making it only one of three races to be rated as a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report. Brown first flipped the seat blue in 2006, representing one of only four Democrats who hold a statewide office in Ohio.

Despite once being considered a crucial swing state, Ohio has shifted to become a somewhat reliable state for Republicans, especially during the last two presidential election cycles.

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There are 34 Senate seats up for grabs in the 2024 election cycle. Of these, Democrats must defend 23, compared to just 11 for Republicans, putting the GOP in a strong position to flip some crucial Senate seats that could easily shift the balance of power in the upper chamber.

Democrats hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, with the advantage of having Vice President Kamala Harris as a tiebreaker vote if needed. As a result, Republicans only need to flip one Senate seat to win the majority should they win back the White House in 2024. If they don’t regain the Oval Office, the party needs to secure two extra Senate seats.