Bernie Moreno is acknowledged at a rally with former President Donald Trump at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, on April 23, 2022, in Delaware, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joe Maiorana, File)

Former President Donald Trump endorsed businessman Bernie Moreno, a staunch political and financial supporter, in the crowded Republican Primary for the state’s U.S. Senate race.

Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post on Tuesday afternoon, calling Moreno “exactly the type of MAGA fighter that we need in the United States Senate.”

Earlier this year, candidate file reports found that Moreno spent over $13,000 on “event catering” for an event at Trump’s Florida residence Mar-a-Lago. On the same day, Trump made a Truth Social post praising the Moreno as a “highly respected businessman.”

Moreno has voiced support for much of the policies put forward by Trump during his administration, including “America First” immigration — despite being an immigrant himself.

Moreno has also been vocal about strengthening the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Trump and other Republicans signed into law. The landmark legislation significantly lowered the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, which Moreno said was not enough at a GOP picnic in Highland Heights in September.

“The tax cuts were permanent except for the subchapter S corporations, which is the vast majority of small businesses,” Moreno said in audio obtained by Heartland Signal. “So those tax cuts expire in 2025. If the Democrats stay in office, there’s no question those tax cuts will expire. We’ve got to make those Sub S tax cuts permanent.”

Moreno went on to blame Democrats for high spending, and he also called for defunding the Justice Department because of their “weaponization against Biden’s political enemies.”

Moreno will vie for the Republican nomination against opponents state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose when Ohio holds its primary election on March 19.