Former Senator Sherrod Brown is running to reclaim the Ohio seat abandoned by JD Vance. His lifelong theme is "The Dignity of Work" — and he has already outraised his incumbent opponent. Support Sherrod directly!
Donate via ActBlue »No one describes the divergence of the American worker's prospects from white-collar America better than former Senator Brown. From his essay in The New Republic, March 2, 2025:
He is making the same argument on the stump. Checking back in on August 4, Brown put it this way:
The issue of data centers — who pays for them, who profits, and what they do to electricity bills — has become central to this race, and it's a nerve Brown keeps finding. He links Husted to tax breaks for the massive facilities moving into Ohio, and Ohio Republicans are privately warning AI companies that the issue will keep dominating the race through November. Paige Cognetti is running into exactly the same fight in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is not going away.
A February 5, 2026 article in Ohio's Signal newsletter contrasts former Senator Brown with incumbent Husted on the issue of ICE and the preferred fate of Secretary Noem. Brown's emphatic "fire Noem" is more in line with Ohio's public opinion than Husted's deference to all things Trump — including Trump's racist attack on the Haitian-American community in Springfield.
The Ohio Capital Journal covered Brown's call to extend protections for Haitian immigrants: "Ohio senators, governor respond to calls from Brown to extend protections for Haitians." Again, Brown leads with social ethics rather than causing more pain for neighbors.
A must-read: Senator Brown's book Desk 88, Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America. Each senator, "reminiscent of middle school," he writes, carves their name in one of the desk's drawers. Brown wrote the history of the Senate from the perspective of the senators who sat where he sat — Black of Alabama, Gore of Tennessee, McGovern of North Dakota, Ribicoff of Connecticut, Robert Kennedy. Sherrod asked Teddy whose desk Teddy got — Jack's, of course.
The Race
Because this race is to fill the unexpired years of Vance's term, whoever wins will have to run again in 2028. Brown has already outraised his incumbent opponent. An Emerson College poll (Dec 6–8, 2025) shows Brown gaining while Husted, DeWine, Trump, and Vance all show declining approvals. David Pepper (former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party) writes on winning in Ohio.
On April 13, Cook Political Report upgraded this race from Lean R to Tossup. A BGSU poll found Brown vs. Husted in a statistical tie. The nonpartisan Center for Politics has since also elevated the race to Toss Up from Lean Republican — a designation MS NOW now shares as well. The New Republic goes deeper on the forces shaping this race — worth reading beyond the week's headlines.
Brown won the Ohio Democratic primary on May 5. Reuters profiles Sherrod's Ohio run as the anchor of Democrats' Senate hopes. The statewide ticket is campaigning together: on August 1, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona joined gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Sherrod Brown for speeches to supporters about flipping Ohio. A poll reported by Newsweek shows both Brown and Acton pulling slightly ahead of their Republican opponents — the two campaigns may be lifting each other.
- Primary won: May 5, 2026
Latest Updates
- Sherrod has a new ad out — take a look.
- Brown's opponent, Husted, lacks experience — appointed to fill JD Vance's seat — and apparently thinks Ohio voters are dumb. Check this out. Sheesh….
- Brown finds a nerve on data centers — linking Husted to tax breaks for the massive facilities moving into Ohio — and it's working: Ohio Republicans are privately warning it will keep dominating the race.
The Opponent
This is the seat that JD Vance abandoned to join Crime Family Trump. Governor Mike DeWine appointed failed gubernatorial candidate John Husted. American Bridge reporting: on Husted's appointment and on his healthcare votes. Ohio Democrats document Husted's name appearing 21 times on the first day of the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history.
Endorsements & Support
- Ohio Conference of Teamsters — "we care about whether our elected officials will empower workers and create middle-class union jobs"
- Giffords PAC — endorses Sherrod Brown as a reliable ally on gun safety
Local Organizing
