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Democrat Sherrod Brown to return to US Senate, ousting GOP incumbent Jon Husted

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown will return to Washington, ousting incumbent Republican Jon Husted. Brown’s election was considered critical for Democrats who hoped to gain control of the U.S. Senate.

The Associated Press called the race for Brown at 11:12 p.m. with 87% of votes reported.

Sherrod Brown speaks at a campaign rally
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Sherrod Brown speaks after casting an early ballot on Oct. 6, 2026. [Daniel Konik | Statehouse News Bureau]
This was the most expensive U.S. Senate race in Ohio history, with more than $500 million spent by the campaigns and outside groups supporting them. Brown entered the race with an advantage in name recognition, having served in the Senate for three terms before he lost re-election in 2024 to Bernie Moreno. Husted also had many years of experience in elected office before he was appointed to the seat in 2025 to replace Vice President JD Vance.

Brown will serve the remainder of Vance’s term before he will have to decide whether to run again for a full six-year term in 2028. He’s the seventh senator to be re-elected to the chamber after losing re-election since 1946.

Many ads backing Brown sought to tie Husted to President Trump and the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, which included cuts to Medicaid. He was also called “the face of data centers in Ohio” by Brown. Ads supporting Husted portrayed Brown as part of the political establishment, emphasizing a record Republicans have called liberal on taxes, immigration and other issues.

Trump won Ohio by 11 points two years ago. But Brown outperformed the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024, losing to Moreno by fewer than four points.

When Brown returns to the Senate in January, he will join Moreno and a group of Democratic senators who have replaced Republicans, further weakening the Republican majority in the chamber.