Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) stirred a lighthearted moment at a Republican event in Ohio on Tuesday, playfully dubbing Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) as “eye candy.” The quip came on the heels of President Trump’s repeated compliments about the physical appearance of Ohio’s other senator, Jon Husted (R).
“I know that Husted gets a ton of attention, but I think Bernie’s kind of eye candy too. I don’t know if — if you guys got — you both got the — they both got it going on when it comes to that,” Thune told attendees, according to remarks reported by The Hill.
Thune’s comments are the latest in a string of unusual physique-related praise from top Republicans, as the campaign trail heats up ahead of the midterm elections. Trump has repeatedly highlighted Husted’s build, most notably during a rally in North Carolina last week.
“I looked at his a–, and then I looked at his legs, and my — I said, ‘His a– is like, it’s like a pile of muscle.’ Then I looked at his legs, and I said, ‘Man, his feet are big,’” Trump said, drawing laughter from the crowd. He went on to describe tapping Husted on the shoulder, saying it “actually hurt my hand. It was like a piece of steel. I said, ‘This guy’s a monster.’”
Trump doubled down on Tuesday at a Texas rally, joking that he had made “the mistake” of “studying” Husted’s “anatomy.” “So I’m studying him, and I made the mistake of saying that I started off by studying his a–,” Trump told supporters. “I just want to say. And then I looked at his feet and they were massive. Then I looked at his hand. ‘See these hands,’ he said.”
The remarks come as Husted is locked in a tight Senate race against former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a contest that could determine control of the upper chamber. Meanwhile, Moreno is also running for re-election, and his campaign has been marked by a heated exchange with his Democratic opponent over an endorsement video, as recent reports have detailed.
Thune’s jest, while delivered in a jovial tone, underscores the GOP’s focus on Ohio’s twin Senate contests. With the party fighting to maintain its slim majority, every vote counts. The South Carolina Senate race remains tied, and Republicans are bracing for a tough Election Day.
Trump’s fixation on Husted’s physique has drawn criticism from Democrats, who see it as a distraction from policy issues. But Republicans, including Thune, appear to be leaning into the lighter side of campaigning, even as leadership votes loom and questions about the party’s direction persist.
For now, the “eye candy” label has given political watchers a fresh talking point, even as the serious business of governing and campaigning continues.
