OHIO, USA —
The U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican businessman Bernie Moreno has the possibility of determining which party controls the Senate.
Currently, Democrats hold 51 seats and Republicans hold 49 seats.
"This is probably the tipping point Senate seat for control of the Senate," said Sam Nelson, an associate professor of political science at the University of Toledo.
It's also the most expensive Senate race in the country. According to data from political advertisement tracker AdImpact, both parties combined have spent more than $400 million on campaigning for the seat.
"We would expect, well, if Donald Trump is winning the state by seven or eight points, then Bernie Moreno should win fairly easily," Nelson said. "The polls don't show that he's winning easily."
Nelson said Brown has a few advantages, one being that he's been a popular senator for close to 18 years.
"He's had an opportunity to work with a lot of different groups in the state, with industry, with unions, with farmers," Nelson said. "He's pro-choice, and abortion is one of the key issues in the race. So those things probably are keeping him closer."
Brown will need the support of voters who are ticket splitters for him to win, Nelson added.
Nelson says the advantages for Moreno are that he's not a professional politician and has been endorsed by Trump.
"This is the first race he's ever run," he said. "This is something new."
Both candidates' campaigns are focusing more on national issues, like abortion rights and immigration, rather than state-specific issues.
Nelson said Senate races in Nebraska, Michigan and Wisconsin could also flip party control.