Sen. Sherrod Brown boasts $14M in campaign money as Republicans make final primary push

Hours after Sen. Sherrod Brown disclosed his latest fundraising haul, Ohio Republicans sent out a panicked request.

"The Ohio Republican Party is facing a stark reality – we cannot match Brown's financial firepower without your immediate help," the email stated.

Brown reported $6.6 million during the final quarter of 2023, leaving his campaign with $14.6 million to start the year, according to Federal Election Commission filings released Wednesday. The state's top Democrat is seeking a fourth term in what could be one of the country's most expensive and high-profile U.S. Senate races.

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Brown is one of two Democrats running for reelection in states won by former President Donald Trump in 2020, prompting analysts to label Ohio a toss-up. At the same time, Republicans acknowledge Brown is a skilled retail politician who's responsive to his constituents.

Despite the stakes, Ohio's Senate race was quiet in 2023 as candidates and voters alike focused on the August and November elections on state issues. But Brown's team dropped its first television ad on Thursday, a sign the campaign is about to heat up.

"Sherrod Brown is fighting for Ohio while his opponents fight for the title of largest self-funder – that’s why Sherrod continues to have the momentum in this race," Brown's campaign manager, Rachel Petri, said in a statement earlier this month.

How much did Ohio Republican Senate primary candidates raise?

Before the general election cycle kicks off, Republicans must choose their nominee. Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, are running for the GOP nomination in the March 19 primary.

An Emerson College poll released Thursday showed Moreno and LaRose statistically tied for first place, with 42% of voters still undecided. Brown was neck and neck with all three Republicans in hypothetical matchups.

The price tag for the primary continues to grow, driven largely by Dolan and Moreno's ability to fund their campaigns. Dolan, whose family owns the Cleveland Guardians, raised just $342,000 in the fourth quarter and spent roughly $2.2 million. His campaign still has $4.8 million in the bank thanks to personal loans.

"As Bernie Moreno and Frank LaRose continue to fall behind in raising money, it’s clear that Matt Dolan is now the candidate best positioned with the resources, message and record of conservative results to win this primary and defeat Sherrod Brown in November," Dolan strategist Chris Maloney said.

Moreno's campaign burned through $3.8 million and received $778,000 in contributions, leaving him with $2 million to start 2024. The year-end fundraising deadline came days after former President Donald Trump endorsed Moreno in the race, which prompted other prominent Republicans − including Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana − to coalesce around him.

The nods likely gave Moreno a financial boost that's not yet visible, including the spoils of a fundraiser at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort earlier this month. Moreno also plans to make another seven-figure personal investment after loaning his campaign $3 million last year.

At a campaign event this week, Moreno said the Ohio GOP needs to unite because "we've got the entirety of the Republican Party behind me."

"You've seen the attacks have started to become personal and nasty," Moreno said. "All that helps Sherrod Brown. Sherrod Brown doesn't have to spend money attacking the Republican nominee because Republicans are doing it. That doesn't bode well."

LaRose, meanwhile, received the most donations last quarter at $807,000. He entered 2024 with $771,000 on hand − far behind his opponents − but also has the support of a super PAC bankrolled by Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein. Uihlein funded the failed effort to make it harder to amend the Ohio Constitution last August.

"Frank LaRose is continuing to demonstrate he's the man to beat," LaRose spokesman Ben Kindel said. "He's the only proven conservative in this race, and the best positioned to win in March and to finally retire Sherrod Brown in November."

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 Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Senate race: Sherrod Brown starts 2024 with $14 million in bank