Ohio

Our call: DR -2.7closes 7:30 pm ET
Called · 86% in · Brown +1.9 (our call, NBC leans D)

Who's running

Sherrod BrownD48.5% · 86% in

Sherrod Brown has been in politics for about 50 years. He first won a seat in the Ohio House in 1975 when he was 22. He later served in the U.S. House and then spent 18 years in the U.S. Senate, from 2007 to 2025. He lost his Senate seat in 2024 to Bernie Moreno and is now trying to win a seat back.

What they say they'll do
  • He wants to lower the price of prescription drugs.
  • He wants to stop health insurers from denying care people need.
  • He wants data centers to pay the full cost of their power and wants limits on utility rate hikes.
Jon HustedR46.6% · 86% inIncumbent

Jon Husted was adopted out of foster care as a child. He has held many state jobs: Ohio House speaker, state senator, secretary of state, and lieutenant governor. In January 2025, Governor Mike DeWine picked him to fill JD Vance's Senate seat after Vance became vice president. He has been a senator for less than two years and is running to keep the seat.

What they say they'll do
  • He says he is the guy who creates jobs and points to Ohio's record job numbers.
  • He backs the Republican tax law that cut taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security.
  • He wants to keep the border secure and wants data centers to build their own power.

The tea ☕

  • Brown's ads call Husted FirstEnergy's 'Golden Boy.' That name came from a text by a FirstEnergy lobbyist in 2020. FirstEnergy was at the center of the HB6 bribery scandal, the biggest corruption case in Ohio history.
  • Husted testified in March 2026 at the trial of two former FirstEnergy bosses. He said he did not know about any bribes. He has never been charged with a crime.
  • Brown's ads say FirstEnergy gave Husted millions. A fact-check found most of that money went to super PACs that backed him, not to Husted directly.
  • An ad approved by Husted says prices rose faster than paychecks during Brown's 50 years in office. A fact-check called that misleading because wages grew faster than prices over that time.
  • Brown now says he supports closing the border. Republicans point to his record of voting against the border wall and voting to protect funding for sanctuary cities.
  • Brown mocked Husted on X and told him to pump his own gas. Records then showed Brown's campaigns had spent about $50,000 over the years on limos, car services, and charter flights.
  • The two men never debated. Brown skipped debates in his 2024 race too. No debate was held as of November 2.

Sources