Husted keeps cool despite Brown’s fundraising and polling gaining steam
Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) has been playing down signs that former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is gaining momentum in Ohio’s closely watched special election. While Brown entered the frist quarter with about $16.5 million cash on hand-roughly double Husted’s just under $9 million-Husted’s campaign argues he remains Brown’s strongest challenger.
Husted also has advantages in the race’s political positioning: he faces no primary opponent on may 5, while Brown is set to challenge jon Kincaid in the Democratic primary. Fundraising and advertising battles are intensifying, including a report that Senate Leadership Fund has earmarked $79 million for Ohio ads, the most of any contest. Polling is mixed but suggests competitiveness, with surveys showing Husted leading by small margins in some cases.
Endorsements favor Husted as well. He has support from President Donald Trump and several unions-four union groups that backed husted even though those same unions had endorsed Brown previously. Despite these factors, analysts such as the Cook Political Report characterize the race as a toss-up, reflecting that Brown has an incumbent-style advantage while Husted is considered the newcomer in a special election.
Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) is downplaying signs that his possible general election competitor, former Democratic Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, is gaining momentum, as the latter ended the first quarter with double the cash on hand.
Husted, who was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) to fill the seat left vacant by Vice President JD Vance in 2025, reported having just under $9 million in cash on hand at the end of March, only half of the $16.5 million reported by Brown, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
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Despite falling behind in the fundraising arena, Husted’s campaign framed the senator as the strongest competitor to Brown.
“Jon Husted is in the strongest position of any challenger to Brown, and it shows,” Husted’s campaign said. “Ohioans are ready for fresh leadership after 32 years of radical votes from former Senator Sherrod Brown.”
Husted faces no competitors in the May 5 primary, unlike Brown, who is set to challenge Jon Kincaid. Brown is expected to win the Democratic nomination, setting the stage for a general election matchup with Husted.
Brown’s campaign reported $1.5 million in the first half of April, a staggering amount compared to the $261,00 raised by Husted in the same time frame.
Additionally, recent polling shows the highly competitive nature of the race.
An April survey conducted by Bowling Green State University’s Democracy and Public Policy Research Network found Husted having a three percentage point lead over Brown. Other polls showed Husted with just a 1-point edge.
Husted tops Brown when it comes to endorsements. Not only does Husted have the favor of President Donald Trump, but unions have also rallied behind the GOP senator.
Four unions have backed Husted, despite endorsing Brown in the past. The unions include two Ohio chapters of the International Union of Operating Engineers, the Northwest Building and Trades Council, and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
The Cook Political Report rated the race as a toss-up, as Brown functions more as an incumbent and Husted as a newcomer, given that it is a special election.
EVERYTHING IS ON THE LINE. REPUBLICANS CAN’T TAKE MIDTERMS FOR GRANTED
The GOP-aligned Senate Leadership Fund reportedly set aside $79 million for Ohio advertising, the most of any contest. On the other side of the aisle, Brown’s decision to run was part of a recruiting campaign headed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
The Washington Examiner reached out to Husted and Brown’s campaigns for comment.
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