John Thune Jokes Bernie Moreno Is ‘Eye Candy’ at Ohio Campaign Rally

Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave an Ohio campaign crowd an unexpected compliment about fellow Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, joking that the senator had the looks to match Jon Husted’s public appeal. Speaking at a rally on Tuesday, October 27, Thune praised the state’s delegation before turning to the two senators. “I know that Husted gets a ton of attention, but I think Bernie’s kind of eye candy, too,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience. He then added that both men had “got it going on.” The remark followed President Donald Trump’s own comments about Husted’s appearance at a rally in Youngstown earlier in the month. Trump had learned that Husted played as an All-American defensive back at the University of Dayton and said he had noticed the senator’s athletic build. Thune’s quip echoed that moment, while shifting the compliment to Moreno as well. Trump has also commented publicly on the appearance of other political figures, including Republican candidates Ed Gallrein and Rick Jackson. At a separate event, he invited rapper Nicki Minaj to stand so the audience could see her, then said he hoped she was not offended and expressed his affection for her. Thune’s light-hearted line stood out amid the usual campaign rhetoric, with the crowd’s reaction suggesting the appearance-focused joke landed as intended. The speech offered no further detail about the senators’ campaign plans; the attention instead settled on Thune’s playful comparison and the rally’s moment of laughter.