Ohio Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, has announced his candidacy to challenge incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown in the 2024 Senate race. LaRose, a Republican, is joining what is expected to be a highly competitive race as Republicans aim to unseat Brown, who is seeking a fourth term.
LaRose states in his campaign launch video, “I’ve always believed with hard work and focus that anything is possible. But lately, it feels like our country is slipping away from us. Rising prices, an open border, and the exclusion of parents from their children’s education are just a few of the issues we face. As a father of three young girls, I know that something needs to change. Someone needs to step up and fight for a better future.”
Ohio, a state that former President Donald Trump won by 8 percentage points in 2020, is expected to be a key battleground in the upcoming Senate race. It is one of the top targets for Republicans as they aim to gain a Senate majority.
Ahead of the Senate race, Ohio is currently undergoing early voting on a GOP-backed ballot measure that would make it more difficult to amend the state constitution, potentially affecting the ongoing debate around abortion rights.
LaRose, who has served as Ohio’s chief elections officer since 2019, is the first statewide official to enter the Republican primary. His opponents in the primary include state Sen. Matt Dolan and businessman Bernie Moreno. In the previous Senate race, Moreno dropped out after meeting with former President Trump, who eventually endorsed J.D. Vance.
Dolan, in contrast, is running as a more traditional Republican candidate, focusing on issues beyond the culture wars and not actively courting Trump’s support.
As Ohio’s secretary of state, LaRose has maintained a delicate balance with Trump. While aligned with him, he admonished both Democrats and Republicans for challenging the results of the 2020 election without evidence. However, in April 2022, he seemed more open to the possibility of voter fraud happening outside of Ohio, although acknowledging the difficulty in determining its impact on election outcomes.
Ohio, along with Montana and West Virginia, are among the top targets for Republicans in their pursuit of a Senate majority in 2024. Despite the challenges, Sherrod Brown has a history of overcoming GOP headwinds, as he was the only Ohio Democrat to win statewide in 2018.
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