3 Ohio Republicans want to take on Sherrod Brown. Where do they stand on the issues?

Three Republicans will face off in next month's primary for the chance to take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown this fall in one of the most-watched Senate races in the nation.

Voters will decide on March 19 whether businessman Bernie Moreno, Secretary of State Frank LaRose or state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, should be the GOP nominee in Ohio's U.S. Senate race. National groups are expected to pour millions into the Buckeye State as Brown seeks a fourth term amid a close fight for control of the Senate.

Early voting for the primary began Wednesday, and the deadline to register to vote was Tuesday.

Here's where the Republican candidates stand on key issues, compiled through interviews, debates and campaign statements.

Would Ohio Senate candidates back a federal abortion ban?

Dolan: As a state senator, Dolan opposed Ohio's ban on most abortions after six weeks because it does not include exceptions for rape or incest. He said he'd prefer states handle the issue, but a federal ban with exceptions isn't off the table if policies like Ohio's new constitutional amendment become more common.

LaRose: He voted for the six-week ban during his time in the Ohio Senate. Now, LaRose said he would support a "bare minimum" national ban but hasn't floated a specific number of weeks. He supports exceptions to save the life of the pregnant person, but not in cases of rape or incest.

Moreno: He supports a 15-week federal ban with "commonsense restrictions," which he said includes exceptions for rape, incest and life of the pregnant person.

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Where do the candidates stand on border security and immigration?

Border security is one of the hottest topics in the race. All three candidates opposed a failed bipartisan Senate deal that would have tightened asylum rules, sanctioned fentanyl traffickers and provided $20 billion for border security, among other provisions. The union for U.S. Border Patrol agents backed the legislation, the contents of which Moreno called "absolutely crazy."

Dolan: He called for reinstating the "remain in Mexico" program that required asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for immigration hearings. He also wants to construct more border wall where it's necessary and provide technology to help agents monitor crossings. People who commit crimes or refuse to work should be deported, he said, but mass deportations would be an ineffective, costly strategy.

LaRose: He said the U.S. should send troops to the border until the wall is completed. He opposes amnesty for undocumented immigrants and said deportations are an important tool, particularly for people who committed crimes or arrived under President Joe Biden. But LaRose also argued that "promising you can deport 20 million people overnight or even within a few months or years is an unrealistic promise."

Moreno: He previously supported a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, but now wants to deport anyone who enters the country illegally. He backs the "remain-in-Mexico" policy for people who come through designated ports of entry. Moreno said the U.S. should also finish the wall and declare cartels foreign terrorist organizations so the government can seize their money.

More: How should the U.S. help Israel, Ukraine? Ohio Senate candidates clash on path forward

What are Ohio Senate candidates saying about the economy?

Inflation increased 17% from January 2021 to last month, per to the Consumer Price Index, although rates are steadily decreasing from their pandemic peak. Disposable personal income per capita grew 15% from 2020 to 2023, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Dolan: Citing inflation data, Dolan said Americans still feel the squeeze while businesses struggle to expand and hire workers. He contends the U.S. should increase domestic energy production and criticized Biden's efforts to forgive student loan debt.

LaRose: He said economic data paints a different picture from Ohioans' lived reality: "If your wealth comes from a stock portfolio or whatever else, then the economy may not be too bad for you. If you're somebody that earns an hourly wage or works a gig job, then you're struggling right now. And that's where there's a fundamental misalignment."

Moreno: Moreno said inflation has been driven by an "assault on American energy" and government spending during the pandemic. He too believes wealthy Americans flourished over the past few years: "I think the working class and seniors have gotten absolutely devastated by Biden. But Martha's Vineyard people, they're doing really, really well."

What should the minimum wage be?

Dolan: Dolan said raising the minimum wage will only increase costs for businesses and customers.

"The minimum wage is not intended to be a livable wage," he said. "I've employed people. We started some people at minimum wage. The purpose of doing that was to inspire them to work harder. If you want to earn a higher wage, work harder and make a living out of it. The Democrats under Sherrod Brown want to turn minimum wage into a livable wage."

LaRose: He criticized a proposed ballot initiative in Ohio that would gradually increase the minimum wage to $15, saying it would "result in unemployment and loss of businesses."

"Part of the challenge with these government interventions, like so-called minimum wage, is that it has a distorting effect on the market," LaRose said. "The market is the best way to set wages."

Moreno: Moreno, who settled multiple lawsuits over his former employees' overtime pay, said business owners attract workers by providing good pay and benefits. He said the market should set wages, while government is responsible for investing in education and reducing business regulations.

"Minimum wage is never intended to be a livable wage," he said. "What we want to do is make certain that everybody has the opportunity to grow in their wage as much as possible."

What are Ohio Senate candidates' positions on election integrity?

Dolan: He has always said the 2020 presidential election was legitimate. In the Ohio Senate, he supported legislation to require a photo ID at the polls. He generally believes election administration is a state issue and opposed a bill in Congress that would have expanded voter registration, banned limits on mail-in voting and called on states to establish independent redistricting commissions.

LaRose: As the state's chief election official, LaRose criticized misinformation during the 2020 election. Since then, he's questioned voting practices in other states and pulled Ohio out of a bipartisan group targeted by conservatives that aims to curb election fraud. At the federal level, LaRose backs a proposal to regulate voting in Washington, D.C., prevent the use of private funding for elections and penalize states that allow non-citizens to vote on local races and issues.

Moreno: Moreno claims the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump, even though he encouraged Republicans to accept the results in the immediate aftermath. He's particularly critical of nonprofit funding that several states, including Ohio, received to help run the election during the pandemic. He would push for nationwide voter ID rules and a ban on private money if elected.

Do GOP Ohio Senate candidates support any gun restrictions?

Dolan: As an Ohio senator, Dolan advocated for legislation to expand background checks for those under 21 and allow judges to take firearms from people in court-ordered mental health treatment.

LaRose: The pro-gun Buckeye Firearms Association endorsed LaRose and gave him a perfect score for supporting firearm access. During his time in the Ohio Senate, he backed "stand your ground" legislation and a bill that reduced training for concealed carry permits and allowed hunters to use noise suppressors.

Moreno: Moreno once questioned the need for personal high-capacity magazines and said background checks are reasonable to ensure someone isn't a threat.

His campaign said he now opposes any restrictions: "As someone who was born in South America, (Moreno) has seen firsthand how the slippery slope of gun control almost always leads to gun confiscation, and in too many cases, ends with tyranny."

Would Ohio Senate candidates back federal policies to combat climate change?

Dolan: Dolan contends Biden's efforts to incentivize electric vehicle sales will hurt the auto industry. Instead, he argued, the U.S. should encourage innovation with all energy sources while relying on oil and gas to power the economy.

"The climate is changing," Dolan said. "You only have to look at pure numbers to know that. Look how much more money we're paying out in insurance claims every single year. So yeah, we need to address this issue. Don't address it in a way where the United States is going to put one arm behind their backs and let all the other countries do what they're going to do because we have one plan."

LaRose: In an opinion column last month, LaRose pledged to introduce legislation that would eliminate investments in wind and solar energy and electric vehicles. He said he also supports opening up federal land and offshore areas for drilling.

Moreno: "Instead of hurting Ohio families with new taxes and restrictions on energy sources, Bernie is focused on unleashing American energy through innovation and competition, so we can finally become an energy dominant country," Moreno's campaign spokesperson said. "By becoming a global energy dominant nation, meaning coal, natural gas, oil and nuclear, we will dramatically reduce worldwide emissions as America will always produce that energy safer and cleaner."

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Senate race: Where do Republicans stand on abortion, economy?