Democrat Sherrod Brown will try to return to the Senate in 2026

Sherrod Brown announced his candidacy for the Senate in Ohio for 2026. After losing his seat in 2024, the former Democratic senator will attempt a triumphant return to the upper chamber during the midterm elections. If he wins the primary, he will face incumbent Jon Husted, who was appointed to replace JD Vance.

Brown, now 72, has a long history on Capitol Hill. After serving as local secretary of state for two terms, he came to the House of Representatives in January 1993. He remained there until 2007 to take over in the Senate. In the 2006 election, he defeated then incumbent and now governor of the Buckeye State, Mike DeWine.

Despite being one of Bernie Sanders's senators, he was among the finalists to be Hillary Clinton's running mate in 2016. The campaign ultimately went for his colleague Tim Kaine, of Virginia.

In the Upper House, he chaired the powerful Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, in addition to the Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy. In 2024 he unsuccessfully sought a third term, falling to Republican Bernie Moreno.

Brown made his candidacy official on social media, where he posted a pitch video ahead of 2026.

"I didn’t plan to run for office again, but when I see what’s going on, I know I can do something about it for Ohio. That’s why I’m running for Senate. Because even in these challenging times, I still believe if you stand up for workers, treat people with respect, and always fight for Ohio, you can actually make a difference," the Democrat said.

"For the past eight months, all they’ve done is made things worse for Ohioans, handing over your hard-earned money to corporations and to billionaires. Their reckless tariffs and economic chaos are increasing prices and threatening the survival of small businesses all across our state," he added.

While the Senate race in Ohio was not expected to be close, Brown's name recognition and fundraising prowess could make the race more competitive. Hours after the former senator's announcement, the Cook Political Report changed its projection of the election. It moved from "probably Republican" to "lean Republican."