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Vulnerable Democratic Incumbent Refuses to Say What He Thinks About Biden's Debate Performance

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  July 01, 2024 6:45 PM

President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance is likely not just dragging him down, but could also affect down-ballot candidates as well, including vulnerable Democratic incumbents in the Senate. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is running in a true "Toss-Up" race in Ohio against Republican Bernie Moreno, and appears to want nothing to do with talking about the debate. 

On Monday morning, the Moreno campaign highlighted local news coverage from NBC 4 Columbus, in which Brown was asked his thoughts on the debate. He was at a campaign event for his own race when asked.

"At event in Cleveland, he declined to talk about Biden's debate performance," a news caster revealed. Instead, Brown said that "my focus is on my job, that means fighting for women's rights," an issue Democrats certainly are preoccupied with. He continued to note he would "focus on this campaign and the contrast between me and Bernie Moreno, adding "that's my focus, that'll continue to be my focus."

"Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance made it clear that he is unfit to lead, and it is pathetic that Sherrod Brown will not admit the truth," said Moreno in response. "Brown votes with Biden nearly 100% of the time and helped create the border invasion, dismal economy, and chaos on the global stage that has occurred under this administration. Biden and Brown are forever politicians with over 100 years in office combined, and Ohioans will send them into retirement in November."

Moreno made the same point on Thursday from his X account, both before and after the debate, as he sought to tie Brown to Biden with how he voted with the president 98.5 percent of the time for the 117th Congress. 

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A 30-second ad from Thursday morning featured Brown and Biden on a tandem bicycle to highlight how "Brown is always Ridin' with Biden." The ad also notes how together, they have a combined 100 years in office. Moreno, meanwhile, has been touting his political outsider status since the primary. There's also mentions of Brown and Biden's policy views on issues like immigration, and how the economy is faring under Biden. The ad also invites viewers to go to JustLikeBiden.com. 

Moreno also highlighted from his X account how Brown supports and has the support from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in a quoted repost of Punchbowl's Andrew Desiderio.

Desiderio noted that Schumer is in Cincinnati to help Brown, adding that Brown "will need to significantly out-perform Biden in Ohio to win his race. An even bigger challenge post-debate."

Such a race could decide which party controls the Senate as Republicans look to unseat several vulnerable Democratic incumbents. Biden is highly unpopular in Ohio, and former and potentially future President Donald Trump is almost certain to win the state, just as he did in 2016 and in 2020.