Former Sen. Sherrod Brown Kicks Off His Bid For Vance's Old Senate Seat In Ohio

CLEVELAND — Former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, launched a comeback run Monday, mounting nan shape for a 2026 typical predetermination that could determine partisan power of nan Senate.

Brown will situation Sen. Jon Husted, nan Republican whom Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed this twelvemonth to capable nan vacancy created by JD Vance’s predetermination arsenic vice president.

“We had nary intention, really, of moving again,” Brown, speaking of himself and his wife, journalist Connie Schultz, said successful an question and reply pinch NBC News. “We conscionable heard from much and much group and saw really overmuch worse it was getting. I spent my career, arsenic you know, taking connected liking groups and taking connected this rigged system. And nan strategy has been rigged for arsenic agelong arsenic I remember, but it’s intelligibly gotten worse.”

In a video accompanying his run launch, Brown lays retired 3 principles important to him: “standing up for workers, treating everyone pinch dignity and respect, moving arsenic difficult arsenic possible.”

“I didn’t scheme to tally for agency again, but erstwhile I spot what’s going on, I cognize I tin do thing astir it for Ohio,” Brown says successful nan video. “That’s why I’m moving for Senate.”

Brown, 72, mislaid his title for a 4th word past twelvemonth to Republican Bernie Moreno by astir 3.5 percent points arsenic President Donald Trump carried Ohio by 11 points. Word of his determination to tally for Senate — and not for governor, arsenic galore Ohio Democrats had been hoping — trickled retired past week, reported first by Cleveland.com and confirmed by NBC News.

Next year’s conflict will find who serves nan 2 years remaining connected nan word Vance won successful 2022. Brown was noncommittal erstwhile asked if he would activity a afloat six-year word successful 2028 if he thumps Husted.

“I don’t know,” Brown said. “I really, legitimately, don’t know.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had aggressively lobbied Brown to take a Senate bid complete a tally for politician and traveled doubly to Ohio to seduce him to return connected Husted. Brown and erstwhile Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina are 2 prized recruits successful nan Democrats’ conflict to triumph backmost nan Senate successful adjacent year’s midterm elections. With Republicans defending a 53-47 mostly successful nan chamber, Democrats would request to nett 4 seats.

After losing his re-election run past year, Brown and Schultz relocated from Cleveland to Bexley, Ohio, nan Columbus suburb that’s location to nan governor’s mansion. The move, which placed Brown and Schultz person to their grandchildren and to Schultz’s school occupation astatine Denison University, nevertheless fueled chatter that he was leaning much toward a tally for governor. In nan meantime, Brown launched nan Dignity of Work Institute, a nonprofit statement focused connected workers issues.

Brown said it wasn’t conscionable Schumer pushing him successful 1 guidance aliases another. He and Schultz heard from group everywhere, from nan market shop to their section Fourth of July parade.

“The determination was excavation and Connie’s, and it was a difficult decision, because I deliberation I could do bully activity successful either place,” Brown said. “But ultimately, because Ohio doesn’t person anybody successful nan Senate advocating for Ohio workers, I came down connected that decision. I mean, it’s difficult times for this state, it’s difficult times for people. I could person gone either measurement successful that case, but I conscionable deliberation I tin person much effect successful nan Senate.”

Brown singled retired Husted’s ballot for nan Trump-backed “big, beautiful bill,” a megabill that has travel nether occurrence for its cuts to Medicaid and different national information nett programs. Brown said he’s specifically worried astir Ohioans losing wellness security sum successful a authorities where, much than a decade ago, a Republican politician pushed done Medicaid description .

“The worst has been nan big, immoderate they telephone it — big, disfigured bill, big, beautiful bill,” Brown said. “By immoderate measure, this is nan worst ballot he’s formed successful nan Senate, but it’s a continuum of his moving for typical interests his full career.”

Husted, 57, for illustration Brown, has spent overmuch of his big life successful nationalist office. He served arsenic nan Ohio House speaker successful nan 2000s and arsenic caput of authorities — a occupation Brown held successful nan 1980s — successful nan 2010s. Most recently, Husted served arsenic DeWine’s lieutenant governor. As Brown’s volition to tally for Senate became clearer past week, a Husted spokesperson branded Brown arsenic a “handpicked” Schumer candidate.

“He has ne'er faced a campaigner for illustration Jon Husted,” nan spokesperson, Tyson Shepard, added. “Brown’s slogans will ringing hollow arsenic his conjugation walks away, tired of nan extremist policies he’s forced to support to appease his coastal bosses successful California and New York.”