COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — In Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, last week was marked by a debate among the top three Republicans and details about a lawsuit against one GOP candidate.

On March 19, the Republican primary for Ohio’s U.S. Senate race will decide who among state Sen. Matt Dolan, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and businessman Bernie Moreno will face incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown. The general election will take place on Nov. 5.

Here are developments from the past week.

Minimum wage, abortion discussed debate

The three Republicans met for the first time in a debate hosted by NBC4 and other Nexstar stations in Ohio in January. The second debate took place Monday at the University of Findlay.

On the issue of the minimum wage, LaRose called it a “government intervention” that has a distorting effect on the market. Moreno and Dolan said the minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage.

“The Democrats under Sherrod Brown want to turn a minimum wage into a livable wage,” Dolan said.

On abortion, Dolan, despite being pro-life, targeted his opponents for their stances. He said that Brown wants abortion to be the main issue of the election, saying LaRose previously called for a six-week abortion ban and is undecided on exceptions, and that Moreno is pro-life with no exceptions. He claimed Issue 1 — which enshrined abortion as a right in the state constitution — had outperformed Brown in many counties throughout the state.

LaRose touted his pro-life history and his endorsement from Ohio Right to Life. Moreno said that what sets him apart is that he spends his own money on pro-life causes, implying that Dolan and LaRose do not.

Past lawsuits loom over Moreno

Another lawsuit against Moreno came to light over his past as a businessman. Previously, lawsuits against Moreno regarding wage theft and discrimination were uncovered.

The lawsuit dates to 2015, involving Gabriel Despres, once a friend and business associate, who accused Moreno of failing to honor an agreement.

Despres said Moreno brought him to Cleveland to work at a car dealership as a minority franchisee. In April 2005, Despres signed a compensation plan with Moreno and M1 Motors that said he would receive an annual incentive of 10% net profits from the dealership before taxes but after the owner’s salary. At the end of the year, Despres said that Moreno proposed they instead put the money back into the business.

A follow-up arrangement indicated Despres would receive 10% interest in all of Moreno’s dealerships that would be sold in 15 years for $50 million. But after going through financial and personal issues, Despres found himself at a crossroads. He had repeatedly asked Moreno for financial assistance outside of their arrangement, and Moreno eventually asked Despres to resign from the company in 2013, which he did.

Court documents show that multiple counts against Moreno were dismissed for various reasons. According to the court, the oral agreements between Despres and Moreno were “too vague and indefinite to be enforceable.” The case against Moreno was eventually dismissed with prejudice after a settlement conference in March 2017.

While the results of the settlement are unclear, the case appears to have turned out in Moreno’s favor.

Senator endorses Moreno

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi) endorsed Moreno. The endorsement is Moreno’s 12th from a U.S. Senator.

“Bernie is a conservative outsider and successful businessman who will fight the Biden administration’s attacks on American agriculture and help put our country back on track,” Hyde-Smith said.