Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State told a crowd on Saturday that he is “actively” considering a run for U.S. Senate against Democrat incumbent Sherrod Brown in 2024.
“I’m getting a lot of encouragement. I have not made an announcement. It is something I’m actively thinking about,” Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose told The Hill in a Saturday interview during the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.
LaRose explained that he has received support from conservatives gathered at the conference as he has walked around the halls and believes that Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who has held a seat in the Senate since 2007, is a “national embarrassment.”
Brown has served in elected office in the Buckeye State since 1975 and is popular with Democrat voters but Ohio is a state where former President Donald Trump won by 8 points in 2020. Additionally, newly elected Republican Senator J.D. Vance won the state by 6 points last year.
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Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose speaks at a campaign stop at The Mandalay event center (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
LaRose acknowledged that Brown is a “talented politician” but pointed out that he is “one of the most liberal members” of the United States Senate.
According to FiveThirtyEight, Sen. Brown votes with President Biden 98% of the time.
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US President Joe Biden is greeted by (L-R) US Representatives Shontel Brown and Marcy Kaptur, US Senator Sherrod Brown and Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb (Saul Loeb/AFP)
“His values are misaligned from Ohio,” LaRose told The Hill. “For many years he has been portraying himself as this working-class hero, man of the people. It’s not true.”
Ohio Republican State Senator Matt Dolan, who finished third in the Senate primary against Vance last year, has announced his candidacy for Brown’s seat and several other elected officials in the state are believed to be considering a run including Attorney General Dave Yost.
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Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio holding a media availability in East Palestine, Ohio (WYFX)
“A good candidate can beat him,” LaRose said of Sen. Brown. “We need a battle-tested candidate that’s ready to go and that’s why I’m exploring it.”