Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown Launches 2026 Senate Comeback Bid Against GOP Incumbent

Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown has officially launched his campaign to return to the U.S. Senate in 2026, aiming to challenge Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to fill the seat after Vice President JD Vance's departure. Brown, 72, lost his seat to Republican Bernie Moreno in 2024 but remains confident that his pro-working class message will resonate amid dissatisfaction with recent tax breaks favoring the wealthy and cuts to programs like Medicaid. He criticized the current Senate for lacking representation for Ohio workers and emphasized his lifelong commitment to fighting what he calls a "rigged system." Despite Ohio's recent Republican trend and President Donald Trump's endorsement of Husted, Brown is seen as a formidable Democratic candidate and a key recruit in the party's effort to regain control of the Senate. Brown's campaign launch was supported by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and comes amid a challenging political landscape where midterm elections often favor the party not in the White House. Brown has not committed to running beyond the 2026 special election for the remaining two years of the term.