by Mary Lou Masters
Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced a run for Senate on Monday to unseat Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2024, according to a campaign launch video.
LaRose enters a growing GOP primary field where he will face businessman Bernie Moreno and State Sen. Matt Dolan, who both unsuccessfully ran for Senate during the 2022 midterms. The secretary of state touched on issues he feels plague the country, like parental rights in education, the border crisis and inflation, when announcing his run for Senate, according to a Twitter video.
“I’ve always believed with hard work and focus that anything is possible, but lately, it feels like our country is slipping away from us,” LaRose said in the video. “I’m on a mission to give back to the state that has given me so much, to continue to serve the country I love, and fight to protect the values we share. That’s why I’m running to serve as your next United States Senator.”
It's official: I'm running. pic.twitter.com/YEs89T9uU4
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) July 17, 2023
LaRose previously served two terms in the state Senate prior to his run for secretary of state in 2018, according to Ballotpedia. He defeated the Democratic opposition by 3.7 points in 2018 and by nearly 20 when he won re-election in 2022.
The Cook Political Report characterizes Brown’s Senate seat as a “toss-up” in 2024, along with independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Brown faces stiff opposition from all three Republican primary contenders and polls just 2 points ahead of LaRose, 4 points ahead of Moreno and 1 point ahead of Dolan, according to a late June East Carolina University survey. The same poll indicates LaRose is leading the field with 17%, followed by Dolan and Moreno with 14% and 7%, respectively.
“I’m a Green Beret, a conservative, a man of faith and I’m not afraid of a fight,” LaRose said in the video. “I was born and raised in Akron, and a proud Ohio State graduate. This is our home. When I think about where I came from, I know that my service is far from over.”
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Mary Lou Masters is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Frank LaRose” by Frank LaRose.
