Sherrod Brown vs. Bernie Moreno is now the most expensive Senate race in 2024

CINCINNATI — Ohio's race for U.S. Senate is one of the most expensive races in the country. Hundreds of millions of dollars are pouring into the state as outside groups try to sway your vote.

Political advertisements are running from Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger Bernie Moreno. At the end of one of their ads, you will hear the candidate say their name, followed by "and I approve this message." Other political ads run by nonprofits and political action committees (PACs) will attack the opposing candidate.

Some of the political ads attacking Brown include ones from Senate Leadership Fund, a conservative PAC looking to build a Republican majority in the Senate. The political ads attacking Moreno include ones from WinSenate, a liberal PAC hoping to keep the Democratic majority.

Open Secrets, which tracks political spending, reports these outside groups have already spent nearly $259 million on the Ohio Senate race. That number from outside groups is only second to the presidential race.

"The folks who want to have influence are desperate to find a place to put their money and they're putting it in Ohio," said David Niven, University of Cincinnati political science professor.

Niven said outside groups are drawn to the race in Ohio for three reasons. Right now, several polls have the race between Brown and Moreno as a toss-up. The control for political control in the Senate is up for grabs. Republican PACs also feel like they can win Ohio.

"For Republicans, this represents something of the clinching touchdown — they can win Ohio, they're going to win the Senate. For Democrats, this represents their only hope," said Niven.

While political spending doesn't necessarily guarantee that any candidate will win the election, that money does help get a candidate's message across to a wide audience. We asked voters two weeks before Election Day if they were swayed by any political ads.

"No, especially negative ads," said Christine Bernhardt, who voted for Moreno. "I don't believe in negativity, not even from President Trump, that I hope wins. I just think it's time for us to put a lot of that down and just take care of each other."

"No, because if you think about what they're saying and listen, you can see there's thin lines and nothing there," said Robbie Garvin, who voted for Brown.

Niven said despite the money spent on ads, they work less now than they did 30 years ago.

Whether you like ads or not, you're gonna see them as Ohio has become the most important Senate race in the country for both parties.