Bernie Moreno
A Colombian-born luxury car dealer turned politician, he won a bruising Senate race in Ohio by aligning with Trump's populist movement.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American politician and businessman·Birthday: February 14·Generation X
Biography
Bernie Moreno's story is a classic American immigrant narrative fused with modern political upheaval. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, his family sought asylum in the United States when he was a child, settling in Florida. He built his fortune not in tech or industry, but in the gleaming showrooms of luxury car dealerships across the Northeast and Midwest, eventually becoming a prominent business figure in Cleveland, Ohio. His foray into politics was initially rocky—a brief 2022 Senate campaign ended early. But he recalibrated, forging a tight alliance with Donald Trump and positioning himself as a political outsider fighting the establishment. In a fiercely contested 2024 Republican primary, he defeated seasoned officeholders, then went on to win the general election, capturing a crucial Senate seat. His rapid ascent reflects the potent mix of personal wealth, immigrant success, and unwavering loyalty to the populist wing of the GOP.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Bernie was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bernie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Bernie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Elected as a United States Senator from Ohio in 2024, defeating Democrat Sherrod Brown.
- Built a successful multi-state automotive retail business, Bernie Moreno Companies.
- Served as the Ohio chair of the Latinos for Trump coalition during the 2020 election.
- Previously owned the first Tesla dealership in the United States outside of California.
Did You Know?
He became a U.S. citizen at the age of 18.
He initially supported Jeb Bush for president in the 2016 Republican primaries.
His 2024 Senate campaign was significantly self-funded with his personal wealth.
He has owned dealerships for brands including Bugatti, Maserati, and Aston Martin.
“Opportunity doesn't knock; you have to build the door.”
