WINTERSVILLE, Ohio — Wesley Starr, 73, is still not sure who he is going to vote for in Ohio’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate.
“I’m impressed by all three candidates. I like all three of them,” he told NBC News at the Jefferson County Lincoln Day dinner.
Voters like Starr may well decide a close race for the GOP nomination to take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown later this year. It’s one of the most important Senate races around the country, and Republican voters are weighing factors including businessman Bernie Moreno’s endorsement from former President Donald Trump and other MAGA personalities, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s record in office and military experience, and state Sen. Matt Dolan’s attempt to balance his appeal to those who want a different version of the Republican Party while still showing support for Trump.
NBC News talked with more than 30 Republican and independent voters across Ohio in the last week to get a sense of what matters to them as they choose a nominee.
“[Moreno] is supported by Donald Trump, which gives him a leg up in this particular race, but both LaRose and Dolan have very strong, strong profiles and good experience,” Starr said. By the end of his conversation with NBC News, he said he was leaning towards voting for Moreno because of that endorsement.
As he has in many other state and local elections since 2016, Trump looms large. Brian Kolkowski, who says Trump had his vote starting in June of 2015, says Trump’s endorsement of Moreno “made a big difference” for him.
“I want to support Trump. I want to make sure that he has the team in place to be able to actually change law,” he said.
Moreno has made a concerted effort to align himself with Trump and members of the MAGA movement, including Sen. JD Vance, Rep. Jim Jordan and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who are all scheduled to speak at Trump’s rally with Moreno on Saturday.
Moreno told NBC News that their attendance at the rally shows that their wing of the party “is going to drive a spear right through the heart” of the old-line GOP, name-checking Dolan and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (who is backing Dolan) as well as Trump critics like former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Sen. MItt Romney of Utah.
“We’re going to make certain that the America First party, the Republican Party, the new Republican Party cares for working class Americans … cares about voters in the base of the party,” Moreno continued.
But not everyone is swayed by Trump’s endorsement. Ben Batenburg, 73, voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 and plans to vote for Trump in the general election, but he plans to vote for LaRose on Tuesday.
“I look at the individual. And President Trump can endorse whoever he wants, that doesn’t mean to say that I’m going to support that person,” Batenburg told NBC News. “I do support Trump’s policies and I support LaRose’s policies.”
Linda Ragsdale, 66, will also be voting for LaRose and told NBC News: “I believe in President Trump. But you have a mind of your own, we have free will.”
During a LaRose meet and greet in Mingo Junction, Ohio, a voter asked LaRose why Jordan, Vance and Trump endorsed Moreno.
LaRose said, “You have to ask them,” adding, “I can tell you this. Most voters don’t make their decision based on endorsements.”
Afterwards, LaRose also attempted to underscore what he calls the “excellent relationship” he has with Trump.
“I had dinner with him just a couple of months ago and I’ll be his best ally in the U.S. Senate,” LaRose said. “I think once Trump made that endorsement, there was candidly a lot of bandwagon-jumping for people that just wanted to go along with him. But I’m the one that can beat Brown, and I will stand with President Trump every step of the way.”
“So there is no daylight between me and Donald Trump,” LaRose continued, “and on the 20th of March…
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