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By Mandy Taheri
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Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown faces a competitive race with Senator Jon Husted, who was appointed to fill the remainder of JD Vance’s Ohio Senate seat, in the upcoming November election according to a new poll that shows the two leading candidates in a neck-and-neck race.
Why It Matters
Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Ohio is among a small group of GOP-held seats where Democrats see a potential pickup opportunity, making the race key to control of the chamber.
Read More on Politics
Senate, House and local candidates are ramping up their campaigns for the 2026 elections. Traditionally, the party that does not hold the White House tends to perform better in midterms. Democrats face a difficult task to take back control of the Senate, needing to hold all of their seats and flip four Republican seats.
Ohio has shifted toward Republicans in recent cycles. Trump won the state by about 11 percentage points in 2024, and it has not backed a Democratic presidential nominee since 2012. The Cook Political Report lists the race as "lean Republican."
What To Know
The race between Husted and Brown remains tight, with Brown bringing statewide name recognition after 18 years in the Senate and more than a decade in the House. In 2024, Brown lost his reelection bid to Republican Bernie Moreno, who flipped the seat after garnering over 50 percent compared to Brown’s 46.4 percent.
A Quantus Insights poll of 784 likely voters conducted between March 13 and 14 found Husted with a near one-percentage point advantage ahead of Brown, 45.5 percent and 44.4 percent respectively. About 6.5 percent of participants were undecided and 3.6 percent said they would vote for another candidate.
The economy and jobs ranked as the top issue among respondents at 25 percent, followed by threats to democracy at 21.6 percent, and immigration and border security at 15 percent. On handling economic issues, Brown received higher support than Husted, 44 percent to 39.6 percent.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points, placing many of the closely divided results within that range and indicating a virtual deadlock.
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A previous GOP linked poll by On Message Public Strategies conducted between March 3 and 8 of likely voters found Husted with 45 percent of the vote and Brown edging above with 47 percent. Eight percent of the participants were undecided. The poll did not list the sample size or margin of error.
An Emerson College Polling survey of 850 registered Ohio voters conducted between December 6 and 8 found Husted ahead, with 49 percent compared to Brown’s 46 percent. About 5 percent of voters were undecided. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
That poll also asked participants about whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view of some Ohioan politicians, with more people "unsure" or saying they have "never heard of" Husted than Brown. Forty-three percent of participants had a favorable view of Brown, 44 percent were unfavorable, and 13 percent were either unsure or never heard of him.
What People Are Saying
Former Senator Sherrod Brown said in a March 7 X post: "Despite what my opponent says, Ohioans’ work ethic is not 'broken.' In reality, Ohioans are working harder than ever just to get by. The real problem is that Jon Husted would rather fight for billionaires than stand up for working Ohioans."
Senator Jon Husted's campaign team said in a March 9 X post: "While Sherrod Brown was in Washington for 32 years catering to the elite, Senator @JonHusted was right here in Ohio, fighting for what really matters."
Jesse DiRenna, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66 business manager, said in October: "The Mahoning Valley is the backbone of Ohio’s working class. Sen. Jon Husted leads with action, not just photo ops or political talking points. His values align with ours, which is why we proudly support him."
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers International President Kenneth W. Cooper said in August: "The working men and women of IBEW in Ohio have no more consistent partner or friend than Sherrod Brown, and he has our wholehearted support in his bid to return to the U.S. Senate."
What Happens Next
Ohio’s primary election is scheduled for May 5, with the general election set for November 3.
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