COLUMBUS, Ohio — An off-the-cuff comment about reproductive rights by Republican Bernie Moreno in Ohio’s tight Senate race has put abortion at the center of debate in the most expensive Senate campaign this year. And that’s just where the incumbent Democrat, Senator Brown, wanted it.

Mr. Moreno insists he was joking after cellphone video surfaced of him criticizing women whose votes are driven by concerns about government involvement in abortion decisions.

“Sadly, by the way, there’s a lot of suburban women, a lot of suburban women that are like, ‘Listen, abortion is it,’” Mr. Moreno said at a town hall at Warren County on September 20.

The GOP candidate added: ”‘If I can’t have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for anybody else.’ OK. It’s a little crazy, by the way, but — especially for women who are like past 50, I’m thinking to myself, ‘I don’t think that’s an issue for you.’”

Mr. Brown and his allies pounced on the comment, which went to the heart of the Democrat’s bid for a fourth term representing the Republican-leaning state.

A woman featured in one TV ad wondered why, if a 50-year-old woman doesn’t have standing to feel strongly about abortion, a 57-year-old man — that’s Mr. Moreno’s age — running for Senate would.

Even fellow Republican Nikki Haley, the former presidential candidate, criticized Mr. Moreno as “#ToneDeaf” on X, adding “Are you trying to lose the election? Asking for a friend.”

Mr. Brown has made access to abortion a priority, and Mr. Moreno’s comment meant the campaign was focused less on the economy and immigration, issues the Republican and his party would rather talk about.

Throughout the race, Mr. Brown has said he voted for and would honor an amendment that Ohioans supported by wide margins last year that enshrined into the state constitution people’s right to make their own reproductive choices.

Vice President Harris and her fellow Democrats on down the ballot are banking on the abortion issue to win votes in the first White House election since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

“The people of Ohio think women should have the power to make their own health care decisions, Bernie Moreno thinks he should,” Mr. Brown said in a statement. “As a man over the age of 50, I care deeply about a woman’s right to make health care decisions for herself – for my daughters, my granddaughters, and all Ohio women, regardless of their age.”

Unseating Mr. Brown is a Republican priority. With Democrats defending twice as many Senate seats as Republicans, a loss in Ohio would jeopardize Democrats’ narrow majority.

Mr. Moreno, a wealthy Cleveland businessman endorsed by President Trump — was undeterred by the controversy that ensued after his abortion comments surfaced. His campaign said the comment was made tongue in cheek, and that Mr. Brown and Ms. Harris are the ones disrespecting women.

“Bernie’s view is that women voters care just as much about the economy, rising prices, crime, and our open southern border as male voters do, and it’s disgusting that Democrats and their friends in the left-wing media constantly treat all women as if they’re automatically single-issue voters on abortion who don’t have other concerns that they vote on,” a campaign representative, Reagan McCarthy, said in a statement.

Associated Press