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August 31st Len’s Political Note #750 Sherrod Brown Ohio US Senator
2026 General Election
When Sherrod Brown lost in 2024, after three terms in the US Senate, he was the last (but for one Supreme Court Justice) Democrat elected to state wide office in Ohio. You could not say that Ohio was always a Republican state, but since 1991, every governor but one term Ted Strickland, has been a Republican. The Republicanization of Ohio has been gradual and continuous.
Sherrod Brown, announcing his run to return to the US Senate in 2026, said:
‘I never planned to run for office again. But when I see what’s happening in Washington, I know I can’t stand on the sidelines.
D.C. politicians are raising prices, gutting health care, and rigging the system to benefit their wealthy donors and corporate special interest friends. It’s government for the rich and powerful, always at the expense of workers.’
He explains he will take on the billionaires and corporations that “make it impossible for every day folks to get ahead.” The following rings absolutely true. Sherrod Brown expreses a vision has been his hallmark as a politician throughout his career – win or lose:
“I’ve fought my entire life for the Dignity of Work – the idea that hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of work you do. Whether you earn a salary or work for tips, are farming crops or raising kids, are going to school or caring for an aging parent.
I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished together in pushing this mission forward – from protecting pensions to lowering drug prices to holding Wall Street accountable. But right now, there is no one in Washington willing to keep this fight up, and hardworking families are paying the price.
Corporate profits are going up. Executive salaries are up. Even workers’ own productivity is up. Yet wages are flat, and the cost of living is rising.”
Sherrod Brown grew up in Mansfield, Ohio. His dad, Charles Brown, was a doctor. His mom was at home. Not exactly at home, though. She was a leader at the Mansfield YWCA. a founder of the Mansfield area Habitat for Humanity, and a leader in the Ohio Hunger Task Force. She encouraged her three sons to be politically active.
Sherrod Brown was a 1970 graduate of Mansfield High School. Not your average president of the student council, he used his role to protest against the Vietnam War and to support Black studies. He and a friend organized a march for Earth Day. While 1,000 kids marched, thoroughly enjoying their foray into politics, only two people spoke – Sherrod and his friend. The marches milled around a bit and then went home.
Sherrod Brown went from Mansfield to Yale. He majored in Russian studies, campaigned for South Dakota Senator George McGovern for President in 1972, and got himself elected as an Ohio State Rep his senior year. No flash in the pan, he served in that role for eight years.
In 1982, Sherrod Brown ran for Ohio Secretary of State. He won that election and was reelected in 1986. Not in 1990, though. Sherrod Brown demonstrated his resilience while learning he would not win every election. After losing to Bob Taft — son of Senator Robert Taft Jr, grandson of Senator Majority Leader Robert Taft Sr, and great grandson of President and Chief Justice William Howard Taft, Sherrod Brown got up again and ran for Congress.
In 1992, still just 40 years old, Sherrod Brown was elected to Congress to an open Democratic seat based in blue collar Lorain, Ohio. Republicans gained the majority in the House in 1994 and Sherrod Brown suffered the fate of being a member of the minority party. For instance, true to his blue collar, anti-free trade views, he led the fight against the Central American Free Trade Act. Democrats lost by a single vote cast some time after midnight on July 28, 2005.
Sherrod Brown brought his combination of blue collar, trade union credentials and cultural views that included support for same sex marriage to the US Senate race in 2006, which he won defeating now term limited governor Mike DeWine by a 56-44 margin. He won again in 2012, defeating a right wing extremist 51-45 and again in 2018 defeating a Republican congressman 53-47. In 2024, Sherrod Brown lost an election for only the second time.
In 2024, Sherrod Brown did not get a lot of help from national Democrats. Ohio had been leaning Republican so strongly, national Democrats saw him as vulnerable as Montana’s Jon Tester. What they did not see is that Sherrod Brown’s focus on the Dignity of Work. changing a tax system that unfairly rewards with wealthy, and consumer protection like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which he supported, and distrust of free trade agreements could be a winning combination.
Sherrod Brown has been Ohio’s epitome of a blue collar guy. Al Franken, commenting on Sherrod Brown’s gravelly voice, said Sherrod Brown must have been hit in the throat by a hockey puck. A newspaper reported on Sherrod Brown’s visit to a union hall during the 2024 campaign quoted Jose Arroyo, a third-generation steel worker, “I love that voice.” Whether it is his voice or his views, he is convincingly comfortable in a union hall. Arroyo continued: “…he knows the language. He sounds like a working man.” Al Franken explained that Sherrod Brown is fluent in pension plans, overtime work rules and the “myths” of free trade. His policy views and his persona establish his blue-collar credentials.
Over the years, Sherrod Brown has refused to change his economic message. As a result, he has been a Democrat who consistently outperformed in a Republican-oriented state. Sherrod Brown lost Ohio in 2024 50-46, a respectable result in a state that Trump carried 55 — 44.
Can Sherrod Brown win the election in 2026? He points out that living with the Trump administration and its support from Republican legislators has proved to be very different from voting from Trump and Republican legislators. He notes that a half-million of the 12 million Ohioans will lose their health insurance. Most of these half-million have non-union jobs working for an employer that does not provide health insurance. Or they are young workers or seniors or the disabled. They may have voted for Trump, but they did not vote for losing their health insurance. They did not vote for drug prices going up. They did not vote for higher grocery bills or veteran’s benefits being cut.
This is not what they voted for when they voted for Trump. They can work to reverse these actions by electing Sherrod Brown in 2026.
What of the Republican incumbent Jon Husted? He is not exactly a generic Republican. An adopted son of a machine operator father, he is a strong and personal opponent of abortion. He had an opportunity to go to college playing football at Dayton University winner of the 1989 NCAA Championship Subdivision.
He stayed in Dayton, working for the Chamber of Commerce (now we get to the generic Republican part) until he ran successfully for state rep, eventually becoming Speaker. Subsequently, as Secretary of State, in the name of treating all voters the same, he reduced the number of early voting days and hours as part of the generic Republican effort to reduce access to voting. He was also involved in disputes about removal of voters from the rolls and early registration of 17 year olds.
Selected as Mike DeWine’s candidate for Lt. Governor after dropping out of the Governor’s race, Jon Husted was named, on January 17 to replace newly elected Vice President, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
There have been scandal accusataions against Sherrod Brown. His first wife accused him of verbal and physical abuse. Donors were accused of giving money to the state Democratic Party with the intention that the money go to the Sherrod Brown campaign. These are not in a league with the level of corruption that Jon Husted appears to have been involved in.
During his political career, Jon Husted has been touched by a fair number of scandals. These include his use of a National Cash Register owned jet to fly him to see Ohio State play in the 2004 Alamo Bowl football game, a lobbyist funded fishing trip in 2005, iinvolvement that was insufficient for an indictment in the Ohio legislature’s enormous FirstEnergy Scandal while serving as House Speaker, involvement in the failed Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow school voucher recipient, time served as a Bank Director while also serving as Lt. Governor, and finally a dispute about his voting residency. Any two of these would be enough to keep him off the ballot in more fastidious states than Ohio.
Help Sherrod Brown flip this Senate seat. Ohio needs the kind of representation he can provide. The country needs him, too. DONATE.
One more thing. Sherrod Brown has a primary challenger – millionaire Fred Ode. If Sherrod Brown can have a really fast start, he will persuade Ode that spending his millions on this campaign is not in his own interest, let alone in the interest of Ohio or the country.
Other Ohio Campaigns
Governor: Former State Health Director Amy Acton running against former Elon Musk DOGE co-conspirator Vivek Ramaswamy. See Len’s Political Note #724. DONATE to Amy Acton’s campaign.
Secretary of State: Medical Doctor Bryan Hambley running against Republican State Treasurer Robert Sprague. See Len’s Political Note #715. DONATE to Bryan Hambley’s campaign.
Other Crucial Senate Races – The Democratic path to gaining control of the Senate and truly defeating Donald Trump requires holding all of the Democratic Senate seats and winning at least four Republican seats. Consider Ohio as the first to flip.
Georgia: Incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff vs one of three or four Republicans. See Len’s Political Note #713, DONATE to Jon Ossoff’s campaign.
New Hampshire. Keep this seat Democratic. Support Congressman Chris Pappas. See Len’s Political Note #743. DONATE.
North Carolina. This could be the second Republican seat to flip. Former Governor Roy Cooper will be the Democratic nominee. See Len’s Political Note #744. DONATE. The Republicans have consolidated around a former state and national party chair.
More Crucial Senate Races
Iowa. This could be the third Republican seat to flip. Four Democrats are campaigning to defeat Incumbent Joni Ernst who has not yet announced. For now, DONATE to the Iowa Democratic Party and/or to the DSCC.
Maine. This could be the fourth Republican seat to flip. Former Congressional Staffer Jordan Wood is the only announced Democrat opposing incumbent Susan Collins who has not yet announced. DONATE to Jordan Wood. Join those waiting to see if Governor Janet Mills will run. DONATE to the Maine Democratic Party or to the DSCC.
Michigan. Keep this seat Democratic. Three Democrats are running to replace the retiring Democratic Senator. Republicans have already organized around a single candidate. Donate to the Michigan Democratic Party or the DSCC.
Minnesota. Keep this seat Democratic. Congresswoman Angie Craig and Lt. Governor Penny Flanagan are running to replace the retiring Democratic Senator. Three Republicans are running for this seat. Donate to Craig and/or Flanagan or the DSCC.
Texas This could be the fifth Republican seat to flip. Congressman and former NFL player Colin Allred is the likely nominee. DONATE. Incumbent Senator John Cornyn and State Attorney General Ken Paxton are battling for the Republican nomination.
Two More Senate Seats that could be flipped
Kansas. If Democrats can persuade Governor Laura Kelly to run, she could defeat incumbent Roger Marshall. However, the Democrats already have a Senate candidate – former USDA official Christy Davis. DONATE to the Christy Davis campaign, to the Kansas Democratic Party or the DSCC.
Nebraska. Independent Union Leader Dan Osborn is trying for the Senate again after losing 53-47 in his effort in 2024, having done much better than Trump’s 59-39 win in Nebraska that year. DONATE to the Dan Osborn campaign.
Unlikely
Kentucky. If Democrats can persuade Governor Andy Beshear to run he might be able to defeat any of the three Republicans seeking the nomination. However, Andy Beshear is looking at the 2028 presidential race and the Democrats already have a Senate candidate – House Minority Leader and Retired Air Force Colonel Pamela Stevenson. DONATE to the Pamela Stevenson campaign, to the Kentucky Democratic Party or to the DSCC.
