#OHSEN Slugfest: Two Mega-Millionaires And A Loser Walk Into a Bar…
August 18, 2023
Columbus, OH – This week, Bernie Moreno and Matt Dolan reported “multi-million dollar fortunes” as they battle it out in Ohio’s Senate slugfest. Donald Trump also continues to loom large over the field, threatening to throw more gasoline on the primary dumpster fire after Loser LaRose was caught defending Trump-nemesis Mike Pence.
And it’s been another bad week for Frank LaRose, who continues to be dogged for being Ohio’s biggest loser at the outset of his Senate campaign after State Issue 1 “flopped” and is now being criticized for firing his official press secretary to gain political favor.
Here’s what you missed this week in what has already been called one of the “messiest, “most expensive” and “bruising” primary battles in the country.
REPORTS SHOW BERNIE MORENO, MATT DOLAN “SITTING ON MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FORTUNES”
Financial disclosures this week show Bernie Moreno is worth over a hundred million dollars, including properties in Costa Rica, New York City, Washington, D.C., and the Florida Keys – worth between $5.1 million to $24.7 million altogether.
Disclosures also showed Matt Dolan is worth as much as $41 million and owns “two race horses that fall somewhere in the five to six-figure range.”
DONALD TRUMP CONTINUES TO LOOM LARGE IN #OHSEN SLUGFEST
After State Issue 1 “flopped” and LaRose was caught red-handed defending Trump-nemesis Mike Pence last week, Donald Trump made it clear he’s watching the #OHSEN Slugfest closely and “any expectation of neutrality is misguided.”
And this week, LaRose threw more gasoline on the primary dumpster fire when he fired his longtime, official press secretary after critical tweets surfaced about the former president.
Reminder: Trump has consistently praised Bernie Moreno, who has also secured the J.D. Vance endorsement.
“REALLY, REALLY EMBLEMATIC OF FAILURE:” ONE MONTH INTO HIS SENATE CAMPAIGN, LAROSE CAN’T OUTRUN BEING OHIO’S BIGGEST LOSER
In the wake of State Issue 1’s failure and at the outset of his Senate campaign, Frank LaRose continues to be dogged as Ohio’s biggest loser. Here’s what Ohioans are reading this week about Loser LaRose.
Axios: “LaRose becomes political target after Issue 1 flop”
The Columbus Dispatch: “Secretary of State Frank LaRose put all of his chips on Issue 1… But his bet didn’t pay off. Now, LaRose is barreling into the 2024 U.S. Senate primary with the cloud of Issue 1 above his head.”
The Ironton Tribune: “Instead of barnstorming around the state in support of Issue One, the public would have been better served if LaRose had made his focus the logistics of the special election and conferring with counties to make sure they were in a position to carry out voting.”
ABC: “But now, after voters defeated the Republican-backed ballot measure, LaRose is left searching for a new campaign message… ‘Anytime something you say is being used by the other campaign, anytime something you say is viewed as so productive that the other side’s putting it in their campaign ads, it’s really, really emblematic of failure,’ Niven said.”
Cook Political Report: “But it was LaRose, who officially announced his candidacy just three weeks before the vote, who became the face in favor of Issue 1. Now, his rivals on both sides are taking advantage… ‘I think LaRose has had a really rough couple of weeks,’ said one national Republican strategist.”
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Cleveland.com’s Brent Larkin on Frank LaRose being Ohio’s biggest loser: “For Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the father of Issue 1, the damage may prove irreparable. The man charged with administering Ohio elections, now a candidate for the U.S. Senate, wasted about $16 million of our money in an attempt to disembowel participatory democracy. Some political humiliations last forever.”
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