NBC NEWS
Former President Donald Trump’s coalition lifted Bernie Moreno to victory in Ohio’s GOP Senate primary, according to NBC News exit polls.
Moreno defeated state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose in Tuesday’s primary, NBC News projects, advancing to the general election to take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, also won his primary in Ohio.
It’s clear Trump’s decision to endorse Moreno boosted the wealthy former car dealer among his most ardent supporters, underscoring the former president’s sway in GOP primaries further down the ballot. Aside from Brown, Ohio is also represented by Sen. JD Vance, who was also propelled to victory in a GOP primary by Trump’s endorsement in 2022.
Exit polls showed that there was plenty of overlap between Trump and Moreno supporters.
A whopping 93% of Moreno’s backers approved of Trump’s job as president, while 78% of LaRose’s supporters and 57% of Dolan’s supporters said the same.
Of Moreno’s supporters, 61% did not have a college degree, 80% were over the age of 45, and 60% considered themselves part of the MAGA movement, referring to Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
Eight in 10 Moreno supporters said they believed the unfounded notion that President Joe Biden did not legitimately win the 2020 election, a higher share than Moreno’s two opponents — 60% of LaRose’s supporters said Biden did not win the 2020 election, while just 42% of Dolan supporters agreed.
GOP primary voters were also asked whether it is important that Ohio’s next senator show support for Trump: 91% of Moreno’s said it was important, compared to 65% of LaRose’s supporters and 47% of Dolan’s supporters.
