Trump-backed GOPer leads before tight Senate primary vote in Ohio

Ohio Republicans were set to vote Tuesday in a crucial primary with big implications for control of the entire U.S. Senate.

Businessman Bernie Moreno boasts the support of former President Donald Trump and was clinging to a narrow lead over two more moderate rivals in the battle to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown (photo) in a mustwin race for Team Blue.

Democrats are backing Moreno in the dogfight with state Sen. Matt Dolan and Secretary of State Frank LaRose mostly because polls show Brown with a better chance of fending off a challenge from the lesser known and more extreme candidate.

The stakes are sky high, with Republicans likely needing to unseat either Brown or Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to grab control of the Senate and the power to confirm judges and cabinet members.

Democrats hold a 51-to-49 lead in the chamber, but are nearly sure to lose retiring Sen. Joe Manchin’s seat in deep-red West Virginia. That means they need to hold on to their seats in Ohio and Montana and retain power in the White House to cling to control of the body.

Brown is a tousle-headed threeterm populist who is a throwback to the days when Ohio was a tossup swing state.

The Buckeye State is now lurching fast to the right in the age of Trump, making it a very tricky hold for Democrats up and down the ballot.

But Moreno is considered the weakest of the three GOP candidates in the race to unseat Brown, who is a familiar name after nearly two decades in office.

Polls show Brown leading Moreno by double digits but locked in a tighter race with Dolan.