CLEVELAND — Northeast Ohio businessman Bernie Moreno has dropped out of the race for the Republican nod for the U.S. Senate. Moreno says he came to the decision to withdraw after a conversation with former President Donald Trump.
Moreno's decision to end his campaign comes on the same day that Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose released the names of all of the candidates who have filed to run for the seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. Rob Portman.
“I asked for a private meeting with President Trump this afternoon to discuss the state of the Ohio Senate race. I am a businessman, not a politician. Business leaders recognize patterns before they happen. After talking to President Trump we both agreed this race has too many Trump candidates and could cost the MAGA movement a conservative seat," Moreno wrote in a statement.
According to LaRose, the candidates who have filed for the U.S. Senate seat are:
- Republican: Matt Dolan, Mike Gibbons, Bill Graham, Josh Mandel, Bernie Moreno, Neil Patel, Mark Pukita, Jane Timken, J.D. Vance
- Democrat: Morgan Harper, Traci Johnson, Tim Ryan, LaShondra Tinsley
Among those running who might be considered "Trump candidates" are former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, former Ohio Republican Party chair Jane Timken, and "Hillbilly Elegy" author J.D. Vance.
Moreno launched his campaign in April of 2021, saying he was "running to stop the socialist agenda, protect the gains made by President Donald J. Trump and protect the American dream."
"Bernie Moreno of Ohio is leaving the race for Senate, but I would like to thank him for his time and effort, and that of his wonderful family," Trump wrote in a statement.
