Ohio Republican Senate hopeful compares rival to Liz Cheney in debate

Ohio Republican Senate hopeful Bernie Moreno, who is endorsed by former President Trump, equated his rival, state Sen. Matt Dolan (R), to prominent Trump critic and former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney (R) during a debate Monday night.

In an hourlong showing hosted by Cleveland’s Fox 8, candidates clashed over government funding, bombing Mexican cartels, and Ukraine, trading political blows as they battle to become their party nominee in March and take on three-term incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) come November. 

Brown and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) hold two of the most vulnerable seats in the Senate, according to Cook Political Report’s 2024 Senate Race Ratings. Both are targeted by Republicans who are looking to flip the upper chamber; the GOP’s path became easier when Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced his retirement from the Senate at the conclusion of this term, leaving the seat to likely flip red in 2024.

During a portion of the debate focused on Jan. 6, 2021, moderators Joe Toohey of Fox 8 and Colleen Marshall of NBC 4 accused Moreno and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) of flip-flopping on their rhetoric regarding the Capitol riot. In the immediate aftermath of the insurrection, both candidates condemned the destruction and violence that played out. Recently, both have called some of the people charged in the act “political” prisoners. 

Dolan went after Moreno over his recent Jan. 6 rhetoric, while doubling down that it was “a bad day.” 

“We just heard an absolute political phony answer,” Dolan said. “He’s trying to reinvent himself. Jan. 6 was a bad day, and I said it then.” 

Moreno, a former car dealer who has raked in heavyweight endorsements ranging from Trump, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Club for Growth, an influential deep-pocketed anti-tax group, went after Dolan, calling him “Liz Cheney” and accused him of peddling “liberal talking points.” 

“I mean, if you want Liz Cheney to represent your United States senator from Ohio, here’s your choice, because that’s where his position comes from,” Moreno said. “The reality is, Matt, it’s sad to see you repeating left-wing, liberal talking points.” 

Dolan, who was aggressive all night, continued his digs at Moreno, referencing lawsuits that the car dealership tycoon dealt with in Ohio and Massachusets.   

“And Bernie, we’d learned this week, I don’t know if we can trust you,” Dolan said. “Your employees trusted you to follow a court order and do not destroy documents that help them in their case against you. But what did you do? You shredded those documents, because it helped Bernie Moreno, not the employees. This is a matter of trust.” 

Ukraine funding was another segment where candidates separated. 

Moreno said the U.S. should stop funding Ukraine, while LaRose vowed to not allow for “another penny” to go to Ukraine until the U.S. southern border is “secured.” 

Dolan warned that if the U.S. does not give ammunition, weaponry and aid to Ukraine, “Ohio boys and girls will be fighting Russia and Poland, Western Europe or the Baltics.” 

While each of the contenders hinted at being in favor of restrictions when it comes to abortion, none of them gave a direct answer if they would stand behind a federal abortion ban. 

On the topic of immigration, LaRose reiterated his stance to “kill the cartels,” a slogan that was shared in recent ads supporting his campaign.

“These cartels are killing over 200 Americans a day with the fentanyl that they’re bringing into this country,” LaRose said. “We know that this comes from China mixed together in Mexico. We must define these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and use the full force of the U.S. military and the U.S. federal government to kill them so that they can’t kill our fellow Americans.” 

Moreno slammed LaRose’s answer as “neocon rhetoric,” pledging he would push for the U.S. to work with Mexico.  

“We’re going to work with Mexico to make certain that they understand it’s in their best interest to have us help them wipe out the drug cartels,” Moreno said.