Sherrod Brown, the nearly two-decade former Democrat Senator has announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate in Ohio in 2026.
Brown's decision to reclaim his Senate seat comes just months after he was defeated by Republican Bernie Moreno in the previous election. Brown, who served three terms in the Senate, told Ohio labor leaders of his intentions on Tuesday, according to Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Current Sen. Jon Husted was appointed to the Senate by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine after Vice President JD Vance vacated the seat to take his current role in the Trump administration.
The former state representative's eagerness to run again is significant for the Democratic Party, as he is seen as their best chance to flip a critical seat in an increasingly Republican-leaning state. He was first elected to the Senate in 2006 and managed to secure reelection in 2012 and 2018, despite Ohio's shifting political landscape. In 2018, he defeated Republican Jim Renacci by nearly seven percentage points, even though Trump had won the state two years earlier. Yet, in the 2024 election, Moreno won by more than 200,000 votes.
Brown's campaign is expected focus on his extensive experience and his previous accomplishments in the Senate, particularly his work on the Banking Committee. Yet Brown is likely to face challenges in regaining his seniority if he succeeds in his comeback bid. Despite these potential hurdles, Brown's candidacy is expected to clear the primary field, as he is the only major Democrat running for the seat.
The upcoming Senate race in Ohio is one of several pivotal contests that will determine the balance of power in the Senate for the final two years of Trump's term and if the president will be able to continue with his MAGA agenda.
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