Senator criticized for voting the same way as Vice President Harris: ‘Radical views’
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ ascent after President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race shifts the spotlight towards Ohio’s Senate race, encouraging a comparison between her track record and that of one of the most vulnerable incumbents in a crucial swing state.
Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who has faced criticism from his GOP opponent Bernie Moreno for aligning with the Biden-Harris administration nearly 100% of the time over the past 3.5 years, finds himself under scrutiny. Moreno’s campaign highlights Brown and Harris’ synchronization, branding them as being in “lockstep.”
Brown, who endorsed Harris for president the day after Biden bowed out, collaborated closely with Harris during their Senate tenure from 2017 to 2021. The two senators co-sponsored nearly 500 pieces of legislation, working in tandem on various bills and resolutions.
Some of the notable legislation they collaborated on included the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, the No Ban Act, and initiatives aimed at exploring reparation payments for black Americans, among others. They also united in backing the SECURE Act, a bill proposing permanent residency for certain undocumented immigrants.
Vice President Kamala Harris (Reuters/Kevin Mohatt/Pool)
“Brown was happy to campaign with Harris in 2018 and even wanted to be her vice president, so it is surprising that he is now refusing to commit to campaigning with her at the top of the ticket,” an observer remarked.
Harris has reciprocated Brown’s camaraderie, acknowledging him as a “friend” on multiple occasions and incorporating his mantra “dignity of work” into her 2019 presidential campaign. Brown, in return, expressed gratitude for her support and praised her advocacy for workers and the underserved.
Despite the strong rapport between Harris and Brown, some experts speculate that Harris’ entry into the race might actually bolster Brown’s re-election prospects in Ohio, a state where Trump secured a comfortable victory in 2020.
Former President Trump interacts with Ohio Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Bernie Moreno during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on March 16, 2024 (Scott Olson/Getty Images).
“Having Harris take over is a huge benefit to the Sherrod Brown campaign,” said University of Akron political science professor Dave Cohen. “There’s this newfound enthusiasm for Harris that was lacking for Biden as the nominee. I firmly believe that Sherrod Brown is going to campaign together with Kamala Harris.”
Moreno’s campaign, on the other hand, tries to shift the focus away from Brown’s alignment with Harris by highlighting instances where Brown has opposed Biden administration policies, such as rejecting the Green New Deal and Medicare-for-all, working towards energy regulation reforms, advocating for tariffs on China, and supporting stringent border security measures.
