Democrats Get Good News in 2026 Quest for Senate

Sherrod Brown, the Ohio Democrat who lost his Senate seat last year, will try to get his job back, reports Cleveland.com and Axios. Brown hasn't made an official announcement about a 2026 run against GOP incumbent Sen. Jon Husted, but it's expected to come within the next few weeks. Brown's move is seen as a big deal for Democrats as they try to reclaim control of the Senate because he previously served three terms in the chamber and is seen as having a decent chance of victory. Axios previously reported that Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer visited him in Ohio last month to try to convince him.

Brown's tenure in the Senate ended after a hard-fought race against Bernie Moreno, one that ended up being the most expensive Senate contest in history, per WTVG. Brown easily outperformed Kamala Harris in his state, but lost to Moreno by nearly 4 points. Since leaving office, Brown relocated to the Columbus suburbs and created a workers-rights nonprofit with leftover campaign funds, all while considering his next move. Politico expects his decision will clear the primary field of other Democrats. Husted was appointed to the seat up for grabs to replace JD Vance after Vance became vice president.