Bernie Moreno drops out of Ohio’s Republican U.S. Senate race

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Bernie Moreno, the Cleveland businessman and luxury-car dealer, has dropped out of Ohio’s crowded Republican primary for an open U.S. Senate seat.

Moreno announced late Thursday he had suspended his campaign following a meeting with former President Donald Trump, who holds considerable sway over Republicans and is considering whether or not to endorse in the race.

“I asked for a private meeting with President Trump this afternoon to discuss the state of the Ohio Senate race,” Moreno said in a statement. “I am a businessman, not a politician. Business leaders recognize patterns before they happen. After talking to President Trump we both agreed this race has too many Trump candidates and could cost the MAGA movement a conservative seat.”

Moreno’s statement said he would focus on supporting whomever Trump endorses in the race, and references opposing President Joe Biden and defeating U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, the Democratic U.S. frontrunner.

He declined to comment beyond his statement. Shortly after Moreno’s announcement, Trump issued a statement praising Moreno, his campaign effort and his “wonderful family.” Moreno’s daughter and campaign manager, Emily Moreno, is a former Trump political aide, and is engaged to Max Miller, a former Trump White House aide who is running for Congress for a Cleveland-area seat.

“His decision will help ensure the MAGA Ticket wins BIG, as it is all over the Country,” Trump said in his statement.

Moreno is the first to drop out among a jumbled field of Republicans running to replace Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who is retiring rather than seeking re-election. Like several other wealthy candidates in the Republican primary, Moreno had spent millions of dollars in his own money to boost his campaign, making the Republican primary one of the most expensive in the country.

While a prominent figure and business leader in Cleveland, Moreno was a first-time candidate and a political unknown statewide. He recently had touted boosting his standing in the unsettled field, citing internal campaign polls, on the heels of spending millions of dollars on TV ads. His departure from the race could allow others to consolidate support as former state treasurer Josh Mandel has been an early frontrunner.

The primary election is in May. Other Republicans running include former state GOP chairman Jane Timken, Cleveland businessman Mike Gibbons, memoirist and venture capitalist JD Vance and state Sen. Matt Dolan. With the exception of Dolan, the other Republican candidates have been openly vying for Trump’s endorsement.