Ohio's Secretary of State, Republican Frank LaRose, has officially announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, aiming to challenge incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown in the upcoming election. This move intensifies the Republican effort to flip the seat in 2024.

Currently serving his second term as Ohio's chief elections officer, the 44-year-old LaRose has navigated a complex political landscape, balancing the demands of different GOP factions amidst ongoing debates about election integrity. His decisive reelection victory in 2022, securing 59% of the vote, demonstrates his strong standing within the state.

LaRose's political career began in 2019 when he first assumed the role of Secretary of State. Prior to this, he served eight years as a state senator and also has a background as a U.S. Army Green Beret. He initially won the Secretary of State office with just over 50% of the vote.

LaRose enters a Republican primary field that already includes State Senator Matt Dolan, whose family owns the Cleveland Guardians baseball team, and Bernie Moreno, a prominent Cleveland businessman who has received encouragement from former President Trump. Dolan previously ran for Senate in 2022, self-funding his campaign significantly, and ultimately finished third in a crowded race. Moreno also invested heavily in the 2022 Senate primary, which was ultimately won by J.D. Vance.

The eventual Republican nominee will face a formidable opponent in Sherrod Brown, a seasoned politician with a long history of electoral success in Ohio. Brown, who first entered the U.S. Senate in 2007, has served in various political roles, including congressman, secretary of state, and state representative. Despite his generally liberal voting record, Brown is considered potentially vulnerable in the upcoming election due to Ohio's shifting political landscape, which has increasingly favored Republican candidates in recent years. Since 2006, aside from the state Supreme Court, Brown is the sole Democrat to secure a statewide office.