Defiant Anti-Trump Frank LaRose Plans to Continue Senate Bid After Trump Endorses Opponent Bernie Moreno

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) plans to continue his U.S. Senate campaign despite former President Donald Trump placing his coveted endorsement behind competitor Bernie Moreno. 

After Trump announced his support for Moreno and called for the party to unify behind him, USA Today Politics Reporter Haley BeMiller reached out to LaRose’s campaign to see if he would still move forward with his candidacy. 

“Absolutely. No question,” a spokesperson responded. 

Similarly, Rick Gorka, a campaign spokesman for LaRose, told Cleveland.com‘s Andrew Tobias that LaRose planned to forge ahead, while taking a shot at Moreno: 

“After spending millions of dollars, Bernie Moreno is still in last place and Matt Dolan is the forgotten candidate,” he said. “The fact remains that Frank LaRose is the battle tested conservative that will finally retire Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2024.”

However, a pair of polls released by Moreno’s campaign and a pro-Moreno Super PAC, called OH Buckeye Values, in recent weeks found he sits atop the field. 

One internal poll conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates from December 3-5, and shared with Politico, showed Moreno leading the three-way race at 23 percent of support with leaners, followed by Larose at 19 percent and State. Sen. Matt Dolan at 18 percent. Another 40 percent are undecided. Without leaners, Moreno still leads 19 percent to Larose’s 15 percent and Dolan’s 16 percent. 

The poll sampled 600 likely GOP primary voters in Ohio, and the margin of error is plus or minus four percent. 

In March, LaRose led the way with 23 percent, while Dolan took 16 percent, according to the polling memo. Moreno pinged at 6 percent, marking a 17-point gain in support in the latest poll. 

Another poll conducted by McLaughlin & Associates for the OH Buckeye Values Pac found Moreno leading the way with 22 percent of support. LaRose took second place with 18 percent, followed by Dolan at 16 percent. Another 44 percent were undecided. Politico reporter Alex Isentadt first obtained the poll and shared it publicly.

That poll sampled 600 likely GOP primary voters from December 12-14 with a margin of error of plus or minus four percent. 

With both polls having been taken before Trump’s endorsement, it is likely Moreno’s numbers will go up from here, especially if anything is to be gleaned from the 2022 U.S. Senate race in Ohio when Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) saw a substantial surge in the polls after scoring Trump’s endorsement. 

Further complicating the matter for LaRose is that Trump’s support for Moreno is catching the eye of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).

“President Trump’s endorsement is the most powerful endorsement in politics, so this will certainly be a huge benefit to Bernie Moreno,” said NRSC Communication Director Mike Berg, according to New York Times political reporter Jonathan Swan. 

LaRose, who has endorsed Trump and reportedly sought his endorsement in the race, had long been a critic of the 45th president dating back to 2016 and during Trump’s tenure in office, as Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle chronicled.