The Man Behind Project 2025’s Most Radical Plans
ProPublicaAug 11
Ohio's Moreno Among 3 Trump-Backed Primary Winners
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The Facts
On Tuesday, Republican candidates endorsed by former Pres. Donald Trump, who has clinched enough delegates to earn the GOP presidential nomination, won their primaries in Ohio, Illinois, and California.
Autodealer Bernie Moreno won the Ohio Senate primary, US Rep. Mike Bost held off a primary challenger in his Illinois district, and state Rep. Vince Fong won a plurality of votes in the special election to replace US Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Fong will compete in a runoff in May.
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump has once again shifted the balance of power in down-ballot races, a sure sign Republicans will enjoy majorities in both the House and Senate to start the former president's second term. Trump's popularity was never more powerful than in Ohio, where he twice helped Moreno pull ahead in a tight race. That should translate to Republicans finally ousting Brown.
Democratic narrative
Democrats should celebrate and Republicans should be leery of getting behind Trump-backed candidates in 2024. The unpopularity of Republican policies has increased ever since Trump took office in 2016, with even conservative-leaning states like Ohio rejecting candidates and issues on the ballot that don't reflect their values in the past two midterms and in 2020. Trump isn't the kingmaker he thinks he is.