Sherrod Brown seeks 2026 comeback in Ohio Senate race vs Husted

Former Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown on Monday announced a bid to return to the U.S. Senate in 2026, launching a high-stakes campaign to retake a seat that has become a focal point for national party strategy as Democrats seek to regain the Senate majority. He will contend with Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed in January to fill the seat vacated when JD Vance left to join the White House. Brown framed his candidacy as a pledge to restore economic security and dignity for working-class Ohioans, a through-line of his decades in public life.

Brown’s decision marks a dramatic turn in a race that has already attracted intense national attention. A former longtime House and Senate contributor to Ohio’s political landscape, Brown was defeated by Bernie Moreno in 2024, a loss that underscored Ohio’s shifting political terrain even as his personal appeal among unions and working-class voters remained a core component of his statewide appeal. Since leaving office, Brown has led the Dignity of Work Institute and served as a visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, keeping a high profile in party circles and positioning himself as a credible challenger to a...