By Kathleen Leese

For Miami Valley Today

PIQUA — Bernie Moreno, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Sherrod Brown, made a stop in Piqua Saturday, Aug. 10, during a Defend America bus tour across Ohio.

Moreno was accompanied by several Ohio dignitaries, some of whom also spoke during the stop. Moreno arrived with his wife Bridget by his side as they stepped off of a large red Trump Moreno bus covered in hand written signatures. As they entered the building, protesters stood near the entrance to Lock 9, where they had a large inflatable cat and stood holding signs.

Moreno, a native of Bogota, Colombia, came to the United States at the age of 5 with his family and became an American citizen at the age of 18. He and his wife have four adult children and three grandchildren. They live in Westlake.

Also on the tour were Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber, State Rep. Rodney Creech, R-40th District; Former Montgomery County Sheriff and State Representative Phil Plummer, R-39th District; and Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou.

Following comments from Triantafilou, Faber took the microphone and spoke to the crowd.

“This election is crucial to whether we have a country we recognize …we have the best answer. It’s Bernie Moreno,” Faber said, and then noting that when when voters see the ads opposing Moreno, “they’re lying about him.”

Faber noted that Issue 1 will be on the November ballot. He said it is important that voters pay attention to that because “they (Democrats) want to change the rules” in terms of redistricting.

“We need to cast every single vote we can get,” Faber said. “Keep Miami (County) bright red.”

Yost also addressed the crowd, speaking about Moreno, “He’s (Moreno) the right man to retire Sherrod Brown.”

Yost addressed the issue of girls’ sports as well.

“We’re going to keep our girls’ sports safe,” Yost. He then added, “The General Assembly had the courage to override the veto,” a reference to H.B. 68, which prohibits a biological male competing against a female in a biological female sport.

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Holbrook ruled that H.B. 68 is constitutional, which paved the way for the bill to go into effect. The bill also includes the SAFE Act, which protects minors from irreversible transgender procedures. Although Yost said he anticipates a challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to the bill, he said the Attorney General’s office will be ready.

“We need somebody (Moreno) that’s not going to do the same old, same old,” Yost said.

Moreno spoke next, telling the crowd that there “is a chance” they could wake up the morning after the election and Sherrod Brown could win re-election.

“Chuck Shumer (would) be majority leader and Kamala Harris is president (and) this country is unrecognizable,” Moreno said, “the Republicans are fighting every day.”

Moreno told those present that there are 87 days left before the election.

“We all have to work harder. You already do so much.” Moreno reminded the crowd of “the people that have gone before us, the people of 1776. They overthrew a King. During the Civil War, it was radical Republicans who ended the scourge of slavery. That sounds a lot like MAGA people.”

Moreno said that during World War II, “they were kids that stormed the beaches of Normandy to end fascism.”

Moreno addressed the issue of illegals and said, “They’ve (Democrats) taken better care of illegals than they have of our own country.”

He added that 35,000 veterans go to bed homeless every night, with what he said is “$451 billion spent on illegals.”

Moreno, who alleged that Brown “wants Social Security to go to illegals” also noted that Democrats “want to raise the age” for retirement.

He added that Democrats claim, “‘we’ve got to cut Social Security because we have a deficit.’ We have a deficit because they stole our money. Get our budget under control and stop doing stupid things.”

Moreno said Medicare Part D is set to increase significantly.

“We have to stop these insane policies. We’re going to be judged whether we were able to save this Country,” he said.

Moreno encouraged those in attendance not to sit back and to have their friends register to vote. “We (Brown and Moreno) are tied. We’ve cut his margin back.”

Moreno spoke about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, “This guy was on stage (in) Butler, Pennsylvania when a bullet nearly ended his life … his life was spared by God. God gave us this country. God is calling us to save our country.”

Following the rally, Moreno spoke with Miami Valley Today, stating Brown has been in office too long, having served in various public offices since the days of Richard Nixon.

He added that Brown telling constituents, “‘I’m a working class guy’” is “all fake.”

Moreno said Brown “refuses to debate” him and added that he is “resorting to juvenile pranks,” a reference to the large inflatable “fat cat” that was placed near the Lock 9 entrance by protesters supporting Brown during Moreno’s Piqua stop.

The Moreno bus tour continued to Lima when they left Piqua.

The writer is a regular contributor to Miami Valley Today.