GOP senator endorses Trump-backed Ohio Senate candidate to face vulnerable Democrat

FIRST ON FOX: A Republican senator added his name Thursday to a growing list of lawmakers supporting former President Donald Trump's pick for Ohio senator, Republican candidate Bernie Moreno.

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., endorsed Moreno in Ohio's GOP Senate primary to take on vulnerable Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November, saying in a statement, "I am thrilled to endorse Bernie Moreno as Ohio’s next U.S. Senator. Bernie is a strong conservative who will put America first and help reverse the damage done by Joe Biden and the radical left’s agenda."

Sen. Bill Hagerty, left, added his name Thursday to a growing list of lawmakers supporting Bernie Moreno, former President Donald Trump's pick for Ohio senator. (Sarah Silbiger-Pool/Getty Images | Gaelen Morse/Reuters | Win McNamee/Getty Images)

According to his website, Moreno is a former luxury car dealership tycoon, who started by purchasing a flailing Cleveland Mercedes-Benz dealership in 2005. He has cast himself as a political outsider and a self-made man as the Midwest's largest luxury car dealer. In 2018, he cofounded Champ Titles, a company that digitizes car titles using blockchain. He would reportedly go on to sell most of his companies ahead of his Senate bid.  

The candidate has quickly emerged as the Trump-world favorite for the nomination, racking up support from figures in the former president's orbit. 

In his endorsement, Hagerty cited Moreno's career as a businessman, adding, "Bernie is the type of senator we need to help get our nation back on track for working American families. Bernie will be a fierce voice for the forgotten men and women of this country, and I look forward to working with him in the U.S. Senate." 

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Moreno said of the endorsement, "Senator Hagerty is a relentless fighter against the Biden administration's reckless agenda and I am so grateful to have his endorsement. I look forward to serving alongside Senator Hagerty to be a voice for the America-First agenda in the Senate."

Sen. Bill Hagerty speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on May 16, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In addition to Trump, Moreno has been endorsed by former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., Reps. Max Miller, R-Ohio, Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith R-Miss., Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rand Paul, R-Ky., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

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Moreno is competing against Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan in the Republican primary, which takes place March 19. 

The Ohio Senate race is considered one of the most competitive in the country, rated a "Toss Up" by the Cook Political Report. It's further being eyed as one of the biggest Republican Senate pickup opportunities. 

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