COLUMBUS, Ohio —The Senate race between Republican newcomer Bernie Moreno and Democratic mainstay Sen. Sherrod Brown has now become the most expensive non-presidential campaign in history at over $500 million, and it may soon be decided by a surprising demographic: Ohio’s surging Hispanic population.
“We’ve been here for 29 years and we’ve never seen so many Latinos. It’s time for change,” said Mercedes Alcantara, co-leader of Mamas and Latinas con Moreno.
“We love him because he’s Latino! We love him because he’s one of us. The Hispanic community needs someone to speak for our issues too,” she added, speaking to The Post at a local rally in Columbus.
Moreno, a Colombian-born naturalized US citizen, has made legal immigration reform a cornerstone of his campaign, and promises to work to revoke federal funding from sanctuary cities if elected.
He has also pledged to curb FEMA spending and government support for migrant resettlement schemes and close loopholes in the asylum process and improper extensions of the Temporary Protected Status program, which has brought thousands of Haitian immigrants to Springfield.
“As someone who came here legally, I can tell you that come January 25, if you’re in this country and you came here illegally you are out of here,” he said at a September rally, echoing Trump’s promise for large-scale deportations if he regains the presidency.
There are about 517,000 Hispanic Ohioans, accounting for about 4.5% of the Buckeye State’s population. That’s more than double the number that lived there at the turn of the century. About 285,000 Hispanics in Ohio will be eligible and expected to vote on Election Day.
“It’s a big tent now. The Republican Party wants everyone,” Moreno said. “There should be nothing alienating about the ideas of small government, common sense and fiscal responsibility.”
A massive 85% of Hispanic voters view economic growth and new job creation as their top issue for this election.
Former President Donald Trump and down-ballot Republicans have the edge there if last month’s Pew survey is to be believed — that poll showed 52% of these voters viewing the GOP as a better choice for a strong economic outlook.
Nationally, about 43% of Hispanics support Donald Trump. That’s 10 points higher than the 33% support he received in 2020.
The former president is currently polling almost seven points ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris in the Buckeye State, and expected to win handily over the veep on Tuesday.
The Senate race between Brown and Moreno is much more competitive, with the RealClearPolitics polling average giving the Democrat a razor-thin edge of 0.3%.
“We think Bernie is the best right now not just for the Hispanic community but for all communities to create meaningful changes in Ohio,” said Israel Ortega, the national spokesperson for LIBRE Action, an advocacy group that does outreach to promote free-market ideas in the Hispanic community.
“We love Bernie Moreno and Viva Bernie Moreno!”
