Bernie Moreno, the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, has been crisscrossing Ohio this week as part of his ‘Defend America’ bus journey. His tour kicked off in Chillicothe on Monday, and his initial address focused heavily on areas where he perceives Democrats have fallen short, factual or otherwise. In Moreno’s narrative, illegal immigration is viewed as a heavy burden on the nation and a risk to the integrity of our voting system. To him, the path towards prosperity lies in ‘energy dominance’, primarily drawn from fossil fuels like natural gas.
Moreno argues that Washington D.C.’s suburbs have grown wealthier than cities in Ohio, not due to major economic changes in the U.S., but because of the influx of money used to influence our political leaders. He suggests that reversing the trend could be possible by reviving a ceased Trump administration initiative to decentralize federal agencies from the capital. A notable exception from Moreno’s discourse was his Democratic opponent, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown.
When addressing the press, Moreno sought to differentiate his approach from that of Brown’s. He noted that while the senator engages in personal attacks, he intends to steer clear of such tactics. ‘I believe people have had enough of politics that thrives on personal tear-downs,’ he shared. Moreno intends to spotlight his adversary’s voting record instead of resorting to personal attacks.
Given that Moreno lacks a personal voting record, it’s unsurprising that his opponents have focused on his business practices and personal wealth. Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Smith, in a statement, wrote, ‘Bernie Moreno’s extensive history of prioritizing himself over workers has now been fully exposed.’
Moreno took it a notch higher as he edged towards inflammatory discourse. He expressed his disenchantment about perceived rewards for those who violate U.S. laws. He questioned Kamala Harris’ motives, saying ‘She wishes to grant them citizenship, isn’t that so? More votes are a likely motivation. And a larger government-dependent population.’ In Moreno’s perspective, immigrants are welcome, provided they adhere to U.S. conditions, integrate into society, and learn English.
Recall that earlier this year, Republicans shot down a bipartisan immigration reform bill, strongly encouraged by former President Donald Trump. Reinforcing one of Trump’s favored arguments, Moreno proposes that augmenting energy production will help curb inflation. He points to U.S. oil production, which has touched unprecedented levels.
Distressed by the high costs of meat, poultry, fish, and pork, Moreno expressed his desire to reduce them. ‘What’s the means to achieve this? America will emerge as the most robust energy superpower on the planet,’ he proposed.
The crowd present at Moreno’s rally resonated mostly with his stance on immigration. Local officeholders underlined the connection between border policies and the ongoing opioid epidemic. ‘Our community has been severely affected by fentanyl,’ confessed David Glass, Ross County Republican party chair and a candidate in the county commission competition.
Glass added, ‘We know this harmful substance’s origin and its trail–border security emerges as a critical aspect.’ Though it’s worth noting that most illegal fentanyl seized during smuggling attempts across the border occurs at controlled points of entry and not typically involving illegal immigrants, but U.S. citizens instead.