Incumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, the only statewide elected Democrat in Ohio, again outraised his Republican opponent Bernie Moreno, according to second quarter filings with the Federal Elections Commission.
The latest FEC reports were due Monday and show Brown raking in close to double Moreno in the period starting April 1 and ending June 30. The Friends of Sherrod Brown campaign account reported raising $12.8 million. In the same period, Moreno’s two affiliated campaign accounts—Bernie Moreno for Senate and Team Moreno—reported around $6.8 million worth of contributions.
For at least a year, the race has been ranked by several outlets as one of the country’s most contested races, with the potential to determine which political party takes control of the upper chamber of Congress.
Brown’s campaign closed out the period with $10.7 million in cash on hand following $17.8 million in spending. Moreno’s campaign, after nearly $5.5 million in spending, said it has $5.2 in its coffers. The candidate’s full campaign finance reports, from this period and previous ones, can be found on the FEC’s website here.
In a statement, the Brown campaign said it smashed a previous fundraising record in the Buckeye state. Rachel Petri, Brown’s campaign manager, said that comes from “grassroots” backing.
“Because he has a proven track record fighting for Ohioans—from saving the pensions of over 100,000 Ohioans, to standing up to presidents of both parties to block bad trade deals that rip off Ohio workers, to always fighting for women’s right to make their own healthcare decisions,” Petri’s statement read.
Moreno entered the general with a financial disadvantage after fending off two primary challengers. Bryan Gray, Moreno's campaign manager, said the latest quarter was fueled by funders “who are ready to fire Sherrod Brown.”
“Bernie will not be outworked and will continue to share his clear message of a growing economy, secure borders, and American energy dominance across our state, while Sherrod Brown runs away from his hideous record of voting with Joe Biden nearly 100 percent of the time,” Gray's statement read.
Former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Moreno guided him to a decisive victory in March over Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls).
