Buckeye Reporter

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Republican candidate Bernie Moreno has his "full support" against Democrat U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. Moreno, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senator race in Ohio on March 19. 

“I entered this race as a father, a soldier, and a conservative who is concerned about the country my daughters would grow up in. I will always fight for America and we have a country to save," LaRose said in a post on X. “That starts by retiring Sherrod Brown and replacing the failed leadership in Washington. I’m confident Bernie Moreno is up to the challenge." 

"He has what it takes to bring real change to Washington and work with President Trump to make America great again," LaRose said of Moreno. "Bernie has my full support and endorsement, and I encourage every Ohioan to unite behind him.”

Moreno was born in Colombia, moving to the U.S. with his family when he was five. He became an American citizen when he was 18. Moreno earned a degree from the University of Michigan and started his career at General Motors. He is the president of the car dealership company Collection Auto Group. 

Moreno will face incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown in the Nov. 5 General Election. 

LaRose ran in the March 19, 2024 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, with the aim of challenging Democrat Sherrod Brown, who is running for his fourth term. He, along with fellow Republican opponent State Sen. Matt Dolan (R-Chardon), was defeated by former auto dealer Bernie Moreno of Westlake. 

LaRose represented Summit County in the Ohio State Senate (2011-2018) before being elected Ohio Secretary of State in 2019. He previously served in the U.S. Army, where he was a member of U.S. Special Forces as a Green Beret, and earned a B.S. from the Ohio State University.

An Akron native, LaRose, 44, lives in Columbus with his wife and three daughters.