Businessman Bernie Moreno has earned another endorsement as he runs to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio this November. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is endorsing Moreno, joining a list of other sitting U.S. senators who have thrown their support behind the candidate.
In a statement provided to Townhall, Paul shared "I'm proud to endorse a true political outsider, Bernie Moreno, for Senate in Ohio. Bernie will cut spending, keep us out of endless wars, and fight for the Constitution. We need more conservative fighters in Washington, and I look forward to working with Bernie to take on DC."
"Senator Paul is a warrior against the Washington establishment and I'm grateful to have his support. I look forward to fighting for Conservative values in the Senate alongside Senator Paul," Moreno said in a statement of his own.
Paul has indeed been a fierce "warrior" in taking on the "establishment" in recent years, including and especially when it comes to Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Paul's statement touches upon Moreno's "outsider" status that his campaign has highlighted for months, especially through ads released last November as part of a "statewide advertising blitz."
In the US Senate, I’ll always fight to put AMERICA FIRST! pic.twitter.com/CSHNilmBsp
— Bernie Moreno (@berniemoreno) November 9, 2023
Moreno also earned a particularly noteworthy endorsement last December from former and potentially future President Donald Trump, who had already been making positive remarks about Moreno for months.
Since Trump's endorsement, Moreno has seen a rise in his polling numbers in the primary and general election, while Brown's lead has been shrinking. Ohio has long been regarded as one of the top, if not the top pick-up opportunity for Republicans, as 2024 looks to be a particularly favorable year. Forecasters currently consider the race to be a "Toss-Up."
Trump had also endorsed now Sen. JD Vance, who had faced even more primary challengers than Moreno is facing now. After that endorsement, Vance went on to surge in the polls and ultimately win the May primary, after Trump had endorsed him in April.
In addition to Paul, Moreno has earned the endorsement of other potential colleagues such as Vance, Florida's Marco Rubio, Utah's Mike Lee, Wyoming's Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso, Kanas' Roger Marshall, Tennessee's Marsha Blackburn, and Alabama's Tommy Tuberville. He's also been endorsed by members of the House, ambassadors, and other Republican figures and groups, with many more local Ohio endorsements.