During a debate for the Ohio Republican candidates vying to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown, disagreements arose over border security and drone strikes in Mexico. While all three candidates agreed on the need to secure the US-Mexico border, they clashed on further immigration policies. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose called for deploying three military divisions to the border, but his opponent Matt Dolan criticized this as irresponsible. Dolan also accused businessman Bernie Moreno, who was endorsed by former President Trump, of wanting to militarize the federal government and deport children. Moreno countered by accusing Dolan of supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants. LaRose defended his support for a strong military strategy and deporting those who entered the country during the Biden presidency.
The candidates also clashed on the issue of drone strikes in Mexico. LaRose expressed support for using drone strikes against cartels, calling them foreign terrorist organizations that are killing Americans. However, Moreno criticized this approach as irresponsible and argued for working with Mexico to eliminate the cartels.
During the debate, Moreno emphasized that he is a political outsider running against two career politicians. He defended his endorsement by former President Trump, even stating that a criminal conviction of Trump would not cause him to reject the endorsement. The candidates also discussed their positions on other issues such as the January 6 demonstrators, abortion, and Ohio’s elections.
Overall, the debate showcased the differences in policy positions and approaches among the Republican candidates. While they agreed on certain issues like border security, they clashed on immigration policies and the use of drone strikes in Mexico. The debate also highlighted their differing backgrounds, with Moreno positioning himself as a political outsider, LaRose presenting himself as a middle-class candidate, and Dolan coming from a wealthy family that owns the Cleveland Guardians baseball team.
