Former President Donald Trump was the big winner this week in presidential primaries in a handful of states across the country, as well as in a number of closely contested down-ballot showdowns.
And the victories of Trump-backed candidates in several high-profile Senate and House primaries provided further evidence of the former president’s immense influence over the Republican Party.
“Donald J. Trump’s endorsement is the strongest endorsement in modern political history,” Bernie Moreno said in an exclusive interview with Fox News minutes after winning Ohio’s Republican Senate primary. “There’s never been anything like this before, and there probably won’t be anything like it again.”
Mr. Moreno, a Cleveland-based business leader and major luxury car dealer, rode Mr. Trump’s support to victory in Tuesday’s primary election in a costly and controversial battle.
Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno celebrates with supporters after winning the Ohio Republican Senate primary on March 19, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
“I want to thank President Trump for everything he has done for me and this campaign, and for his unwavering support,” Moreno said in his victory speech. “I wear my endorsement from President Trump with pride.”
Mr. Moreno’s victory in a heated nomination battle for state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose puts him in a showdown with the longtime Democratic Party in the general election. senator sherrod brown It’s a race that could determine whether Republicans regain the Senate majority in November.
of senate primaries The final stages were framed as a showdown between the party’s MAGA/America First faction, which had rallied around Trump and Moreno, and the conservative faction that supported Dolan. It was also seen as a test of Trump’s influence over the Republican Party.
Three days before the primary, Trump announced that Dolan had soared in the polls and won support from two-term Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman, a veteran of the state’s Republican Party. Returned to Ohio.
Trump, who was the centerpiece of Moreno’s rally outside Dayton, claimed Dolan was a “weak RINO.” [a derogatory acronym which stands for “Republicans in name only”].
Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump greets Ohio Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno during a rally at Dayton International Airport on March 16, 2024 in Vandalia, Ohio. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Trump secured the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nomination earlier this month and easily came close to winning the Republican presidential primary in Ohio on Tuesday.
But Mr. Moreno’s nearly 20-point victory in the hotly contested Senate race was perhaps a bigger victory for Mr. Trump than his wild run in the presidential primary.
Moreno told Fox News that Trump’s support was “probably decisive” in winning the primary.
“I think that was a win for us.” [Trump] agenda. For an America First agenda,” he added.
Dolan did not seek Trump’s endorsement, but acknowledged, “I think it’s self-evident that Donald Trump’s support for Bernie Moreno was an important factor in Bernie’s victory.” he told reporters.
Moreno wasn’t the only Ohio Republican to receive Trump’s backing.
Last weekend, the former president endorsed state Rep. Derek Melin in the Republican primary for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District. On Tuesday, Melin led former state Rep. Craig Riedel by 18 points.
Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Vandalia, Ohio, March 16, 2024. (Kamil Krzazinski/AFP via Getty Images)
Republicans hope Melin can defeat veteran Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in November after controversial candidate J.R. Majewski withdrew from the primary earlier this month.
“Donald Trump is hands down his most important supporter in Ohio,” Mike Biand, a longtime Republican strategist and 2016 Trump campaign veteran, told FOX on the eve of the Ohio primary. told the news.
“Trump is helping move the numbers and handing victory to the people he supports. That’s just a fact,” said Biundo, who has worked on multiple campaigns in Ohio.
Trump-supporting candidates also came out on top in the Republican House primary in Illinois, with Rep. Mike Bost narrowly edging out former state lawmaker and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, and many MAGA supporters. was popular in
And Vince Fong, backed by Trump and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, came out on top in a special election to fill McCarthy’s vacated House seat in California. However, the contest was headed to a runoff after Fong’s approval rating fell below 50%.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Trump’s support record in contentious Republican primaries is not perfect.
Ryan Williams, a veteran Republican strategist and communicator, said, “This is Trump’s party, and while Trump’s support in the contested primaries has proven beneficial, it is a key It’s not,” he pointed out.
An Ohio-based Republican consultant, who requested anonymity to speak more freely, last week called the Republican Senate primary a “litmus test” of President Trump’s influence over the Republican Party.
“The real question is whether President Trump’s support still carries weight among Republican primary voters in Ohio,” the consultant said. “It’s very simple and straightforward, and ultimately I think the answer is yes.”
Fox News’ Jamie Vera, Deirdre Heavey and Brooke Curto contributed to this report.
Get the latest on the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more with Fox News Digital’s Election Hub.
