Former Governor of Ohio, Bob Taft, whose family is recognized as one of the leading Republican lineages in the state, has publicly endorsed Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in his competitive reelection campaign against GOP candidate Bernie Moreno.
At the age of 82, Taft expressed his choice to vote for Brown rather than Moreno, a businessman from Cleveland who is backed by Donald Trump, through a letter addressed to the editor of the Dayton Daily News.
Taft, the grandson of Robert A. Taft Sr., known as “Mr. Republican,” and the great-grandson of William Howard Taft, who made history as both president and chief justice of the United States, praised Senator Brown in his letter without mentioning Moreno at all.
In his correspondence, Taft highlighted several reasons for his endorsement, including Brown’s cooperative efforts with U.S. Representative Mike Turner, a Republican from Ohio, on behalf of the Dayton area and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He also pointed out Brown’s extensive 25-year experience in public service, along with his influential committee assignments attributed to his seniority in the Senate.
“Even though I do not align with Senator Brown on every policy matter, I strongly believe that Ohio needs a skilled and experienced advocate in the U.S. Senate—someone wholly dedicated to the needs of both Ohio and the nation,” Taft remarked in his letter.
It remains uncertain how Taft’s endorsement will impact the election results, particularly as Ohio has shown a significant rightward shift in recent election cycles. Brown is currently focused on attracting independent voters and Republicans looking to cross over in this record-setting contest, which has exceeded $400 million in campaign spending.
The Moreno campaign has yet to release any comments regarding this endorsement as of Sunday.
Supporters of Trump now dominate the Ohio GOP, with the former president’s endorsements frequently overshadowing those of conventional Ohio Republican figures in recent elections.
Trump’s support played a crucial role in Moreno’s victory during the fiercely contested primary earlier this year, even as notable endorsements for opposing candidates came from GOP Governor Mike DeWine and former Republican Senator Rob Portman. Trump’s backing also enabled JD Vance to achieve a Senate win despite pushback from a coalition ofOhio Republican leaders.
Taft’s endorsement carries significant weight, especially considering that he is the sole politician to have ever defeated Brown in an election throughout Brown’s long political journey. Taft triumphed over Brown in the latter’s 1990 reelection campaign for the position of secretary of state.