OHIO — U.S. Senate candidates are on the campaign trail ahead of the 2024 primary election in March. U.S. Senator JD Vance is endorsing Bernie Moreno, and on Tuesday they participated in a town hall in New Albany. 

What You Need To Know

• The three candidates are ramping up campaign efforts ahead of the 2024 election 


• U.S Senator JD Vance also never had a political background before running


• The candidates say there will be many grassroots events ahead of the 2024 primary election 

“The point of a town hall is to listen, hear what is on people’s minds,” said Bernie Moreno, one of three Republicans running to oppose democrat Sherrod Brown in the 2024 U.S. Senate race. 

Bernie Moreno, State Senator Matt Dolan, and Secretary of State Frank LaRose are vying for the Republican seat. Susan Platt from Seneca County says her support for Moreno has always been strong prior to the endorsement. 

“Bernie Moreno was really somebody we can relate to,” Platt said. “He is the epitome of the American dream. He immigrated here at a very young age and turned himself into a multimillionaire through sheer hard work. And that’s a beautiful way to say it is.” 

During the town hall, Moreno and Vance discussed their similar policy ideals. They want to combat illicit sales of drugs, protect the southern border, and bring forth low taxation. They’re both against sending more aid to Ukraine and want to put more money into America. 

“We have homeless vets,” Moreno said. “We’re housing illegal migrants, and this attack on American energy. We’ve got to be an energy dominant country. That’s what’s going to lower costs, allow us to bring manufacturing back, and we need to have peace, stability around the world.” 

“If you see where Republicans are on securing the border and stopping the flow of fentanyl,” Vance said. “Not writing blank checks to any country, especially Ukraine, Bernie is actually the guy whose values most closely aligned with Republican voters.” 

Political Science Professor Justin Buchler at Case Western Reserve University said Vance’s endorsement isn’t a determining factor for Ohioans in the 2024 primary election. Despite Vance holding office, and not stemming from a political background.

“The higher you go up the political ladder, the less important endorsements become,” Buchler said. “Because the more direct information voters have about the candidates themselves. So right now, we’re talking about a Senate campaign, and it’s not a Senate general election campaign, but even a Senate primary will tend to draw enough attention to the candidates that endorsements are not necessarily going to be quite as important as a lower profile campaign.”

Buchler said the other candidates have a fair chance of competing against Moreno, and the endorsement in his opinion won’t affect votes. 

In the coming months, more grassroots events will occur from all candidates leading up to the primary election.