CLEVELAND — In the first debate between the three candidates seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in the March 19 primary, Cleveland-area businessman Bernie Moreno took the brunt of the attacks from the two others in the race.

State Sen. Matt Dolan and Secretary of State Frank LaRose took shots Monday at Moreno, who received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, accusing him of changing his positions on immigration, support of Israel, and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. They also went after Moreno on recent revelations that he settled more than a dozen wage theft lawsuits right before he launched his Senate campaign and admitted to shredding documents containing information that was possibly relevant to cases.

Moreno said he settled the overtime lawsuits in Massachusetts, criticizing judges on the case as “extremist Harvard” jurists.

Dolan said people should question whether they can trust Moreno.

In response, Moreno said of Dolan: “He’s a lawyer who should know better, but that’s what third place looks like.”

LaRose said he “was shocked when my opponent, Mr. Moreno, said Israel doesn’t need America’s help. I guess you should expect that from a guy who sat on the board of a foundation that gave money to anti-Israel groups.”

Moreno said LaRose was “lying through his teeth” and that his comments were “disgusting. But it’s keeping with his brand. This guy will do anything to achieve political power.”

Monday’s debate in Cleveland between the three candidates was contentious and openly hostile at times.

There are eight weeks to go before the March 19 primary. There’s been no announcement about other debates among the Republican candidates.

The winner of the Republican primary faces Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat seeking his fourth six-year term in the Senate in the Nov. 5 general election. The Ohio race is considered one of the most competitive in the country.

During Monday’s debate, the candidates addressed issues about immigration, the economy, abortion and foreign policy.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say we have a country to save,” LaRose said. “I’m the battle-tested conservative. We have enough corporate elites in Washington.”

Dolan said: “I work each and every day to make Ohioans’ lives better. I focus on what makes your life better. I don’t focus on my political career.”

Moreno said: “I’m running because I think career politicians are taking this country off a cliff. We only save this country when we stop sending career politicians to Washington, D.C.”

Moreno mentioned the Trump endorsement — which LaRose wanted — a number of times during the debate. While all the candidates criticized each other, LaRose and Dolan spent much time going after Moreno for changing his positions on issues.

All three said with varying degrees that they would support federal abortion limitations — though they said they weren’t calling for a “ban.”

In the 2022 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate won by J.D. Vance, Dolan finished third in a seven-person race. Moreno withdrew from that primary shortly after the filing deadline after meeting with Trump.

Like the ex-president, Moreno threw his support in 2022 behind Vance, who won the general election that year over then-U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat who represented most of the Mahoning Valley in Congress for 20 years.

LaRose is serving his second four-year term as secretary of state.

Vance was an early supporter of Moreno’s bid to join him in the Senate. Trump then endorsed Moreno on Dec. 19, the day before the filing deadline.

Since then, a number of U.S. House and Senate members — in Ohio and throughout the country — also have endorsed Moreno. Also, nine county Republican parties in Ohio have endorsed Moreno. Neither LaRose nor Dolan have received any county party endorsements.

“In between every barb and insult lobbed at (Monday’s) debate, (the three candidates) made it clear that they have no interest in fighting for Ohioans or the issues most important to their daily lives,” said Katie Smith, an Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson.

Brown’s campaign announced Jan. 12 that it had raised $6.6 million in the fourth quarter of last year. It was the record for the most money raised by a Senate candidate in Ohio for a fourth quarter without self-funding. Brown’s campaign also said it had $14.6 million in his fund as of Dec. 31.

Moreno, Dolan and LaRose have until Jan. 31 to file campaign finance reports for the fourth quarter.

In the third quarter, Moreno raised $1.19 million from donors and Dolan got $1.1 million from donors while LaRose raised a little under $800,000.

Also, Moreno and Dolan each gave $3 million to their campaigns in the third quarter and LaRose gave $250,000. It was the first time Moreno and LaRose put their own money into their campaigns.

Dolan gave $7 million in total to his campaign as of Sept. 30.