In Ohio, the stakes are high, and the choice has never been clearer. The Senate race between Sherrod Brown and Bernie Moreno is about more than just red versus blue, Democrat versus Republican—it’s about the soul of Ohio, its values, and its future. And if there’s one thing Ohio voters know, it’s that they’ve had enough of hollow promises and out-of-touch elites who show up only when they need votes.
Let’s talk about Sherrod Brown. He’s not flashy, not the kind of politician who’s going to flood your social media feeds with viral moments or grandstanding speeches. But what he is, and always has been, is a fighter for the people who keep Ohio running—the factory workers, teachers, nurses, and small business owners. In fact, if there’s one word that defines Brown’s decades-long career in public service, it’s “dignity.” He’s fought for the dignity of work, for wages that let families put food on the table, and for healthcare policies that ensure Ohioans don’t have to choose between paying the rent and getting life-saving insulin.
Brown’s approach to politics is grounded in something too often missing in today’s partisan battles: authenticity. He’s a regular guy from Mansfield who grew up in a working-class family, who understands the struggles of everyday Ohioans because he’s lived them. He’s never forgotten where he came from. When Brown talks about the importance of protecting union jobs or expanding access to affordable healthcare, it’s not because focus groups told him those issues poll well—it’s because he’s spent his career in the trenches, fighting for those things. This is a man who has been re-elected time and again in a state that’s become increasingly conservative, not because he panders or shifts his positions to fit the political winds, but because he shows up for Ohio workers, time and time again.
His record speaks for itself. From securing billions for Ohio’s infrastructure to fighting for the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which takes on the deadly opioid crisis decimating communities, Brown doesn’t just talk—he delivers. His role in crafting bipartisan border security legislation that would crack down on fentanyl trafficking shows he understands the importance of law enforcement while never losing sight of his mission to protect Ohio families from the worst of the opioid epidemic. And let’s not forget his leadership on labor rights, where he’s consistently stood shoulder-to-shoulder with workers fighting for fair wages and better conditions, long before it became a trendy talking point.
On the other side, we have Bernie Moreno. Now, Moreno’s campaign will tell you he’s a fresh face, a successful businessman ready to shake up Washington. But let’s be honest—his version of “fresh” is about as appealing as stale bread. Moreno has built his career on being a wealthy car dealer who profited off Ohioans while looking out for his bottom line. Yes, he’s a self-proclaimed outsider, but that doesn’t mean he’s on the side of the average Ohio voter. In fact, the more you dig into Moreno’s platform, the more it becomes clear he’s out of touch with the real concerns of Ohio families.
Moreno’s hardline stance on abortion is particularly jarring. At a time when Ohio voters decisively supported the protection of reproductive rights, Moreno continues to double down on his extreme anti-abortion views. He has repeatedly stated he is “100 percent pro-life with no exceptions,” including cases of rape or incest. These aren’t just the words of a candidate with conservative values—they’re the views of someone who has openly disregarded the will of Ohio voters. For someone who claims to respect the people of this state, it’s shocking how little he seems to care about their voices when it comes to personal freedoms.
And don’t get me started on Moreno’s stance on the economy. He loves to tout his business success, but let’s not kid ourselves. Moreno’s wealth and privilege put him miles away from understanding the struggles of Ohio’s working class. He grew up in a wealthy Colombian family and has built his empire by capitalizing on luxury car dealerships—hardly the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that resonates with Ohio’s steelworkers or teachers who are fighting to keep their pensions afloat. His success is built on privilege, not grit, and the policies he advocates for would do more to benefit the wealthy few than the working-class many.
Moreno’s entire campaign is built on a shaky foundation of Trump-style politics. Sure, he’s aligned himself with Donald Trump, hoping to ride the former president’s coattails to victory. But Trump’s endorsement doesn’t change the fact that Moreno’s policies are not just out of step with Ohio’s future—they’re regressive. Moreno’s extreme positions, whether it’s his desire to impose a national abortion ban or his misleading attacks on Brown’s record on immigration, don’t reflect the realities facing Ohio families. He’s offering the same tired solutions that have left working Americans behind while enriching those at the top.
It’s no wonder Moreno has leaned into the dark arts of political campaigning. But here’s the thing: Brown doesn’t need to run from his record. He’s worked with Democrats and Republicans in Washington when it means standing up for Ohio workers. He’s not a rubber stamp for any administration, and the people of Ohio know that. Brown’s independence and his deep commitment to his home state are what have kept him in office, even as Ohio has shifted further right.
In the end, this race isn’t just about Sherrod Brown versus Bernie Moreno—it’s about two vastly different visions for Ohio’s future. Do we want a leader like Brown, who fights every day to improve the lives of working families, who believes in the dignity of work, and who has a proven track record of delivering results? Or do we want to hand the keys to a candidate like Moreno, who promises nothing but more division, more inequality, and more erosion of the rights Ohioans have fought so hard to protect?
Ohioans have a clear choice in this election. They can continue moving forward with Sherrod Brown, a leader who has proven time and time again that he will stand up for the people of Ohio, or they can take a step backward with Bernie Moreno—a candidate whose extreme views and out-of-touch policies will only drag the state down.
