Republican Bernie Moreno is projected to beat three-term Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown in what has been one of the most closely watched elections in the country.
The race, one of a handful of battleground Senate races, is a significant blow to Democrats, both in their campaign to maintain Senate control and in their efforts to remain politically competitive in Ohio. The Associated Press called the race on Tuesday.
Republicans have consistently swept statewide elections in recent years. JD Vance won the Senate race in 2022, and former President Donald Trump took Ohio in 2016 and 2020. Republican voters in rural areas have played a significant role in these victories. The state has also shifted demographically to favor Republicans: Ohio is whiter and has more voters without college degrees than the United States as a whole. The population has also grown older.