{"id":2471752,"date":"2025-08-07T06:11:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T10:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sherrod-brown-eyes-2026-senate-bid-giving-democrats-glimmer-of-hope-in-ohio-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T06:13:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T10:13:49","slug":"sherrod-brown-eyes-2026-senate-bid-giving-democrats-glimmer-of-hope-in-ohio-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sherrod-brown-eyes-2026-senate-bid-giving-democrats-glimmer-of-hope-in-ohio-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Sherrod Brown eyes 2026 Senate bid, giving Democrats glimmer of hope in Ohio &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsherrod-brown-eyes-2026-senate-bid-giving-democrats-glimmer-of-hope-in-ohio-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2471752&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is considering a 2026 bid to reclaim his U.S. Senate seat, providing Democrats renewed hope in a key battleground state. After losing his 2024 reelection to Republican Bernie Moreno by a narrow margin, Brown is reportedly interviewing campaign managers for a special election to fill the remainder of J.D.Vance&#8217;s term,who resigned in early 2025. ohio&#8217;s Republican governor appointed Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to temporarily hold the seat; Husted is expected to run for a full term next year.<\/p>\n<p>Brown&#8217;s strong name recognition, established donor base, and pro-worker appeal make him a formidable candidate, with party leaders including Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer encouraging him to run. Democratic strategists see Brown as the best chance to flip the seat, while Republicans acknowledge his strengths but highlight his recent loss and Husted&#8217;s political experience. Husted&#8217;s ties to a major public corruption scandal have drawn scrutiny from Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>Leading up to a potential run,Brown launched the Dignity of Work Institute,focusing on labor issues,signaling serious interest in returning to office.The race is considered crucial for control of the Senate,with analysts adjusting their forecasts to reflect increased competitiveness. A final decision from Brown is expected by summer 2025, and his potential candidacy has already energized Democrats looking to regain influence in Ohio.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Sherrod Brown eyes 2026 Senate bid, giving Democrats glimmer of hope in Ohio<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2198239\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Former Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sherrod-brown\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Democrats\">Sherrod Brown <\/a>(D-OH) is exploring a comeback run for the United States<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Democrats\"> Senate<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"2026\">2026<\/a>, giving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate-democrats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Democrats\">Democrats<\/a> new reason for optimism in what has become one of their toughest battlegrounds.<\/p>\n<p>Brown, who<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3215224\/sherrod-brown-bernie-moreno-ohio-senate-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> lost reelection in 2024<\/a> to Republican Bernie Moreno, is now interviewing campaign managers ahead of a possible bid to reclaim his old seat in a 2026 special election,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/08\/04\/sherrod-brown-ohio-senate-race-husted%5C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> according<\/a> to <em>Axios<\/em>. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who visited Ohio twice in recent months to encourage Brown to run, is among those urging him to get back in the race.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3492878\/blackburn-run-governor-jockeying-tennessee-senate-seat\/\">Blackburn&#8217;s governor run kicks off jockeying for Tennessee Senate seat<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3491815\/texas-fleeing-democrats-shelter-massachusetts-maura-healey\/\">&#8216;Texas Hold &#8216;Em&#8217;: Fleeing Democrats find shelter in Massachusetts with Maura Healey<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3491674\/cornyn-paxton-texas-seek-punishments-democrats-redistricting\/\">Cornyn and Paxton seek punishments for Texas Democrats skipping redistricting session<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The special election is being held to fill the remainder of J.D. Vance&rsquo;s term after he resigned in early 2025 to become vice president. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3285054\/dewine-jon-husted-appointment-vance-senate-seat-ohio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">appointed<\/a> Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to fill the seat temporarily, and Husted is expected to run for a full term next year. The winner of the special election would serve through 2028, when the seat will be up again in a presidential election year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Should Brown enter the race, he would bring near-universal name recognition, a well-established donor network, and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-jeremy-peters-breitbart-style-republicans-have-the-winning-playbook\/\" title=\"Exclusive \u2014 Jeremy Peters: Breitbart-Style ...s Have the Winning Playbook\">pro-worker message<\/a> that has long appealed across party lines. In 2024, he lost to Moreno by just 3.6 points, outperforming President Donald Trump&rsquo;s margin in the state by more than 7 points.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, fills out his ballot with his grandson, Milo Molina, left, 8, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo\/Sue Ogrocki<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no better retail politician in Ohio than Sen. Brown,&rdquo; said Democratic strategist Jeff Rusnak, who worked on Brown&rsquo;s early campaigns. &ldquo;He knows the state inside and out. He&rsquo;s been a fighter for working-class voters, and they know him well and respect him.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Rusnak said Brown gives Democrats their best chance to flip the seat, adding that the minute he announces, he can raise significant funds and consolidate support quickly.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans acknowledge Brown would be a formidable opponent but argue the political environment still favors their party.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Sherrod Brown is the best possible candidate [Democrats] could get to have a chance at taking back that Senate seat,&rdquo; said Matt Dole, a Republican strategist in Ohio. &ldquo;But he comes as damaged goods. He lost the race two years ago. And I think Jon Husted is an incredibly formidable candidate.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Husted, a former House speaker and secretary of state, has long been viewed as a steady hand in Ohio Republican politics. While he has not faced a federal race before, GOP operatives say his record on economic development and political experience position him well for the role.<\/p>\n<p>But Democrats say Husted&rsquo;s record opens him up to scrutiny. Rusnak pointed <a href=\"https:\/\/ohiocapitaljournal.com\/2024\/06\/24\/new-texts-allegedly-show-ohio-lt-gov-jon-husted-leading-firstenergys-push-for-house-bill-6\/\">to his ties to the state&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >largest public corruption case<\/a><\/a>, the House Bill 6 scandal, a $60 million bribery scheme involving energy giant FirstEnergy and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-gop-calls-for-investigation-into-top-state-officials-over-leak-of-fraudulent-trump-quotes\/\" title=\"Georgia GOP Calls For Investigation Into Top ... Officials Over Leak Of Fraudulent Trump Quotes\">top state officials<\/a>. While Husted was never charged, he was identified as &ldquo;Person of Interest #2&rdquo; in the federal investigation, raising questions about his proximity to the scandal&rsquo;s key players.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans, for their part, focused heavily on transgender politics in the 2024 race against Brown, alleging he was outside the mainstream on the topic. The attacks became so persistent that national Democrats&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/host2.adimpact.com\/admo\/viewer\/b4811ce5-37bd-4c30-8043-95dc24558cf3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">released an ad<\/a>&nbsp;clarifying that Brown views transgender participation in sports as a decision for individual leagues, not the government.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, Brown has kept a public profile focused on policy rather than campaigning. Earlier this spring, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/3358761\/sherrod-brown-launches-dignity-of-work-institute\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">he launched <\/a>the Dignity of Work Institute, a nonpartisan think tank based in Columbus that conducts polling and research on labor issues.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t a plaything, this isn&rsquo;t a launch for higher office,&rdquo; Brown said at the time. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m serious about this. I always have been on these issues.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Still, strategists on both sides believe the groundwork Brown is laying points to a likely Senate run. The former senator has also considered running for governor.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think the math makes more sense for him in a Senate race,&rdquo; Dole said, noting that Ohio&rsquo;s midterm electorate typically leans more Republican than in presidential years, but that a nationalized race could help Brown stay competitive. &ldquo;If the race becomes a referendum on Donald Trump or the Republican agenda, that&rsquo;s the best shot he has.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sabato&rsquo;s Crystal Ball, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backed-boebert-wins-colorado-republican-us-house-primary\/\" title=\"Trump-Backed Boebert Wins Colorado ... US House Primary\">nonpartisan election handicapper<\/a> from the University of Virginia&rsquo;s Center for Politics, <a href=\"https:\/\/centerforpolitics.org\/crystalball\/how-the-redistricting-fight-could-change-the-bias-in-the-house-and-other-notes-on-the-state-of-politics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">recently moved the race<\/a> from &ldquo;likely Republican&rdquo; to &ldquo;leans Republican,&rdquo; citing the potential for Brown&rsquo;s entry and the state&rsquo;s shifting political dynamics. Other national forecasters are closely watching the contest as well.<\/p>\n<p>A final decision is expected sometime this summer. Multiple operatives speculated that Brown has commissioned internal polling and is waiting to see the numbers before moving forward. Democrats say the pressure is mounting. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Senator Brown has the right of first refusal here,&rdquo; Rusnak said. &ldquo;If he decides to go, people will quickly rally around him.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/3358761\/sherrod-brown-launches-dignity-of-work-institute\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"SHERROD BROWN LAUNCHES PRO-WORKER ORGANIZATION AMID RUMORS OF ANOTHER RUN\">SHERROD BROWN LAUNCHES PRO-WORKER ORGANIZATION AMID RUMORS OF ANOTHER RUN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If Brown enters the race and wins in 2026, he would need to run again in 2028 to secure a full six-year term, yet another high-stakes contest in a state where Republicans remain firmly in control. But for now, even the possibility of his return is giving Democrats something they haven&rsquo;t had in Ohio in years: a path forward.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think 2026 will show that Ohio will be much more competitive than it has been in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rumors-amp-up-around-potential-pompeo-2024-white-house-run\/\" title=\"Rumors Amp Up Around Potential Pompeo 2024 White House Run\">recent election cycles<\/a>,&rdquo; Rusnak said.<\/p>\n<p>If Brown enters the race, he could provide Democrats with one of their clearest pickup opportunities. Democrats must net four seats to regain control of the chamber, making Ohio a pivotal battleground. <a href=\"https:\/\/centerforpolitics.org\/crystalball\/our-initial-senate-ratings-republicans-start-as-strong-favorites-to-hold-majority\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2198239\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2198239\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sherrod Brown considers 2026 Senate run, boosting Ohio Democrats<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2471753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AP24352769866021.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[59362,32923,60797,42803,32227],"class_list":["post-2471752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-2026-senate","tag-democratic-party","tag-election-prospects","tag-ohio-politics","tag-sherrod-brown"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AP24352769866021.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2471752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2471752"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2471752\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2471756,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2471752\/revisions\/2471756"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2471753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2471752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2471752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2471752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}