Sherrod Brown Defeats Jon Husted in Ohio Special Senate Race, AP Projects
The projected victory returns the Democrat to Capitol Hill for the final two years of JD Vance's unexpired term following a fierce campaign over utility bills and data centers.
Democrat Sherrod Brown speaks to supporters at a campaign rally in Cleveland during the 2026 Ohio U.S. Senate race.
Credit: Getty Images / Ohio Capital Journal Image source
Democratic former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown won back a seat on Capitol Hill by defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Jon Husted after a close and expensive battle, according to a race call by The Associated Press.
Columbus television station WCMH also reported Brown defeated Husted in Ohio’s special U.S. Senate election. The Ohio U.S. Senate seat was formerly held by Vice President JD Vance.
Brown's victory marks a rare return to the chamber in modern congressional history. Brown became only the seventh former U.S. senator since 1946 to lose his seat and then return to the Senate later.
Brown had served three terms in the chamber before he was defeated in 2024 by Republican Bernie Moreno in what was ranked as the most expensive non-presidential election on record at the time. Brown's bid for a comeback after being ousted from the seat he held for 18 years became one of the marquee contests of this year's midterm elections and a test of whether Democrats can regain support among working-class and rural voters.
Husted entered the Senate when Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to the seat following Vance's election as vice president, capping a long career in Ohio elected office as House speaker, secretary of state, and lieutenant governor.
Brown is scheduled to return to the Senate on Jan. 3, 2027, to fill the final two years of the six-year term that Vance originally won in 2022. Because this year's election was to fill the rest of the term Vance was elected to in 2022, Brown will have to run for reelection in 2028 to keep the seat.
Data Centers and Power Bills at the Center
Throughout central Ohio and across the state, the special election campaign revolved heavily around consumer costs and energy infrastructure. Data centers have been particularly contentious in races across the country amid the development of artificial intelligence, with Democrats alleging the industry has driven up consumers' utility bills and harmed communities.
Brown made data centers a key talking point on the campaign trail, calling Husted "the face of data centers" in Ohio because of his involvement with such deals when he was lieutenant governor. Brown also made lowering the cost of living for the working class a cornerstone of his campaign, campaigning on lowering everyday living costs while railing against tariffs and overseas war.
The issue posed a documented political liability for the Republican campaign. A leaked memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee defined data centers as "the anchor hanging around Husted's neck" in Ohio and suggested if Husted lost, it would affect future races around the country.
Weeks before the election, Husted sought Senate passage of the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would have required utilities to consider rules to make data centers pick up costs related to their impact on the electric grid.
Though the measure passed the House of Representatives with near-unanimous support, Senate Democrats blocked the proposal, echoing criticism from party leadership that branded the legislation toothless.
Record Ad Outlays and Campaign Dynamics
The special election generated historic advertising volume as national groups poured money into Ohio's airwaves. By mid-October, the candidates and outside groups had spent more than $422 million, making this race one of the most expensive U.S. Senate contests in the country.
The two candidate campaigns raised more than $80 million combined, with Brown significantly outpacing Husted in direct campaign fundraising. Ohio was the only state with a close U.S. Senate race where Democrats had more broadcast television ads than Republicans, according to advertising tracker AdImpact.
The campaign started quietly with neither candidate doing a splashy launch, as both leaned toward smaller events at first before joining "big rallies that came up in the last month."
The high-profile contest brought prominent national figures to Ohio in its closing stretch. Brown was part of a campaign rally led by former President Barack Obama on Oct. 24.
Husted met up with Donald Trump during the former president's three visits to Ohio in October, joining several male office-seekers who received praise from Trump. During his two years in the Senate, Husted rarely broke with Trump as the administration faced voter dissatisfaction with rising prices, immigration policies, and foreign conflicts.
Ohio has been a Republican stronghold with Trump winning the state in the last three presidential cycles, but Brown's name recognition kept polls close all year amid building signs of a national wave for Democrats. Data centers, affordability, health care costs, and the war in Iran were major issues in the campaign.
Senate Balance of Power
Brown's victory provides a critical boost to Democrats seeking to claw back control of Congress's upper chamber. Brown's win brings Democrats closer to regaining control of the Senate, an effort that requires Democrats to win the seats they hold in Georgia, New Hampshire, and Minnesota while winning at least four other seats.
Previously, Pique Media reported that Acton led the Ohio governor race as precinct returns narrowed her margin.
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https://www.npr.org/2026/11/03/g-s1-148948/ohio-senate-race-sherrod-brown-jon-husted
Supporting evidence (15)
Democratic former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown won back a seat on Capitol Hill by defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Jon Husted after a close and expensive battle, according to a race call by The Associated Press.
Read supporting passage
Democratic former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown has won back a seat on Capitol Hill, defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Jon Husted after a close and expensive battle, according to a race call by the Associated Press.
Brown became only the seventh former U.S. senator since 1946 to lose his seat and then return to the Senate later.
Read supporting passage
Brown is the seventh former U.S. senator since 1946 to lose his seat and then return to the Senate later.
Brown had served three terms in the chamber before he was defeated in 2024 by Republican Bernie Moreno in what was ranked as the most expensive non-presidential election on record at the time.
Read supporting passage
After serving three terms, he was defeated by Bernie Moreno in 2024 in what the ad tracking site AdImpact ranked as the most expensive non-presidential election on record at the time
Husted entered the Senate when Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to the seat following Vance's election as vice president, capping a long career in Ohio elected office as House speaker, secretary of state, and lieutenant governor.
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This was Husted's first race for the U.S. Senate. He was appointed to the seat by Gov. Mike DeWine in January 2023 after JD Vance won the vice presidency. But Husted has had a long career in elected office in Ohio, serving as speaker of the Ohio House, the secretary of state and lieutenant governor.
Because this year's election was to fill the rest of the term Vance was elected to in 2022, Brown will have to run for reelection in 2028 to keep the seat.
Brown made data centers a key talking point on the campaign trail, calling Husted "the face of data centers" in Ohio because of his involvement with such deals when he was lieutenant governor.
Read supporting passage
Brown had made data centers a key talking point, calling Husted "the face of data centers" in Ohio because of his involvement with such deals when he was lieutenant governor.
A leaked memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee defined data centers as "the anchor hanging around Husted's neck" in Ohio and suggested if Husted lost, it would affect future races around the country.
Read supporting passage
A leaked memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee defined data centers as "the anchor hanging around Husted's neck" and suggested if Husted lost, it would affect future races around the country.
By mid-October, the candidates and outside groups had spent more than $422 million, making this race one of the most expensive U.S. Senate contests in the country.
Read supporting passage
As of mid-October, the candidates and outside groups had spent more than $422 million, making this race one of the most expensive U.S. Senate contests in the country.
The two candidate campaigns raised more than $80 million combined, with Brown significantly outpacing Husted in direct campaign fundraising.
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Brown far outraised Husted, with the candidates together bringing in more than $80 million.
Ohio was the only state with a close U.S. Senate race where Democrats had more broadcast television ads than Republicans, according to advertising tracker AdImpact.
Read supporting passage
Ohio was the only state with a close U.S. Senate race where Democrats had more broadcast TV ads than Republicans, according to AdImpact.
The campaign started quietly with neither candidate doing a splashy launch, as both leaned toward smaller events at first before joining "big rallies that came up in the last month."
Read supporting passage
The campaign started quietly, with neither Brown nor Husted doing a splashy launch. Both leaned toward smaller events at first, but joined big rallies that came up in the last month.
Brown was part of a campaign rally led by former President Barack Obama on Oct. 24.
Read supporting passage
Brown was part of a rally led by former President Barack Obama on Oct. 24.
Husted met up with Donald Trump during the former president's three visits to Ohio in October, joining several male office-seekers who received praise from Trump.
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And Husted met up with Trump in his three visits to Ohio in October, and became one of several male office-seekers who earned odd praise from Trump on their physiques.
Ohio has been a Republican stronghold with Trump winning the state in the last three presidential cycles, but Brown's name recognition kept polls close all year amid building signs of a national wave for Democrats.
Read supporting passage
Ohio has been a Republican stronghold for years, with President Trump winning Ohio in the last three presidential cycles. But because of Brown's name recognition, polls showed the race was close all year, and it got more attention amid building signs of a national "blue wave" for Democrats.
Data centers, affordability, health care costs, and the war in Iran were major issues in the campaign.
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Data centers, affordability, the war in Iran and health care costs were major issues in the campaign.
Ohio’s U.S. Senate race: Sherrod Brown unseats Jon Husted to return to Washington
Supporting evidence (1)
Columbus television station WCMH also reported Brown defeated Husted in Ohio’s special U.S. Senate election.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Democrat Sherrod Brown has defeated Republican Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio’s special U.S. Senate
Ohio U.S. Senate election results 2026: Jon Husted vs. Sherrod Brown
Supporting evidence (1)
The Ohio U.S. Senate seat was formerly held by Vice President JD Vance.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/sherrod-brown-jon-husted-ohio-senate
Supporting evidence (7)
Brown's bid for a comeback after being ousted from the seat he held for 18 years became one of the marquee contests of this year's midterm elections and a test of whether Democrats can regain support among working-class and rural voters.
Read supporting passage
Brown’s bid for a comeback after being ousted from the seat he held for 18 years in 2024 became one of the marquee contests of this year’s midterm elections, and a key test of whether Democrats can regain support among the working class and rural voters who have deserted them in recent years.
Data centers have been particularly contentious in races across the country amid the development of artificial intelligence, with Democrats alleging the industry has driven up consumers' utility bills and harmed communities.
Read supporting passage
Data centers have been particularly contentious in races across the country, with many Democrats alleging that their Republican foes are in the pocket of an industry that has seen significant growth amid the development of artificial intelligence but has driven up consumers’ utility bills and harmed their communities.
Brown also made lowering the cost of living for the working class a cornerstone of his campaign, campaigning on lowering everyday living costs while railing against tariffs and overseas war.
Read supporting passage
Brown made lowering the cost of living for the working class a cornerstone of his campaign, and railed against Trump’s war with Iran, the administration’s tariff regime and the construction of datacenters.
Weeks before the election, Husted sought Senate passage of the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would have required utilities to consider rules to make data centers pick up costs related to their impact on the electric grid.
Read supporting passage
Weeks before the election, Husted sought Senate passage of the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would have required utilities to consider rules to make datacenters pick up costs related to their impact on the electric grid.
Though the measure passed the House of Representatives with near-unanimous support, Senate Democrats blocked the proposal, echoing criticism from party leadership that branded the legislation toothless.
Read supporting passage
Though the measure had passed the House of Representatives with near-unanimous support, Senate Democrats blocked it, with minority leader Chuck Schumer calling it “toothless”, a criticism that Brown echoed.
During his two years in the Senate, Husted rarely broke with Trump as the administration faced voter dissatisfaction with rising prices, immigration policies, and foreign conflicts.
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In the two years he has spent in the Senate, Husted adhered closely to Trump’s policies, rarely breaking with him even as the president’s approval ratings cratered amid voter dissatisfaction with the war with Iran, rising prices and Trum’s aggressive immigration policies.
Brown's win brings Democrats closer to regaining control of the Senate, an effort that requires Democrats to win the seats they hold in Georgia, New Hampshire, and Minnesota while winning at least four other seats.
Read supporting passage
Brown’s victory brings the Democrats closer to regaining control of the Senate. To regain a majority in Congress’s upper chamber, Democrats need to win the seats they currently hold in Georgia, New Hampshire and Minnesota, and win at least four other seats.
Ohio elects Sherrod Brown as U.S. Senator, AP projects
Supporting evidence (1)
Brown is scheduled to return to the Senate on Jan. 3, 2027, to fill the final two years of the six-year term that Vance originally won in 2022.
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Brown will return to the Senate on Jan. 3, 2027, filling the final two years of the six-year Senate term Vice President JD Vance won in 2022.
Acton Leads Ohio Governor Race as Precinct Returns Narrow Margin
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported that Acton led the Ohio governor race as precinct returns narrowed her margin.
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Acton Leads Ohio Governor Race as Precinct Returns Narrow Margin