Overview
- Sherrod Brown officially kicked off his 2026 campaign on August 18 to fill the final two years of J.D. Vance’s term in a special election
- Brown will face Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine in January and has received President Trump’s endorsement
- He is centering his platform on a “dignity of work” agenda and denouncing Husted’s vote for the Trump-backed bill that cut Medicaid and other safety-net programs
- Husted has consolidated GOP support and built a strong fundraising lead while national Democrats are mobilizing resources behind Brown
- An April poll showed the matchup within the margin of error, and both parties view the outcome as pivotal for Senate control in 2026