Sherrod Brown launches 2026 comeback bid for Ohio Senate seat

By Farah Siddiqi

After days of speculation, Ohio's former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown has made it official, entering the race to take back his Senate seat in 2026.

The longtime Democrat is running against Sen. John Husted, R-Ohio, who was appointed to a U.S. Senate seat after JD Vance became Vice President earlier this year. Husted’s appointment drew criticism from Democrats, who argued voters should have been allowed to fill the vacancy. In his announcement to campaign on social media, Brown explained what pushed him back into politics.

"Standing up for workers, treating everyone with dignity and respect, working as hard as possible for the people of Ohio," Brown said in the announcement. "I've tried to live my life by those principles. But these days, that's not what's happening in Washington."

The November 2026 election will fill the remainder of Vance’s unexpired term. The winner will serve only two years, until 2028, when the seat returns to its full six-year cycle.

Brown pointed out his decision came after pressure from multiple directions, with labor officials urging him to run for governor and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the Senate Minority Leader, pressing him to reclaim a Senate seat. Brown noted his first call after announcing was to union leaders, reflecting how central organized labor will be to his campaign.

"I didn't plan to run for office again," Brown acknowledged. "But when I see what's going on, I know I could do something about it for Ohio. That's why I'm running for Senate."

Brown had served three terms in the Senate before losing his reelection bid in 2024 in one of the nation’s costliest races. His challenge of Husted is expected to once again draw massive outside spending and national attention, with Senate control potentially hinging on Ohio.

Reporting by Ohio News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.