Donald Trump handpicked U.S. Senate candidate, Bernie Moreno, and their wins show that the president-elect’s formidable power to determine who holds high political office in Ohio is stronger than ever.

In the last two presidential elections, Trump won the state of Ohio. Before 2020, no candidate had been elected president without carrying Ohio since 1960.

Kamala Harris held a slight lead when the results of early votes in heavily Democratic counties were posted shortly after the polls were closed. Trump, however, retook the lead as the state began reporting election-day votes around 8:30 p.