CLEVELAND — Mansfield Senior graduate Sherrod Brown will make a bid to return to the U.S. Senate in 2026, Cleveland.com reported on Tuesday morning.
Cleveland.com attributed the announcement to Ohio labor leaders Brown told of his thinking.
If the report comes to fruition, the 72-year-old Brown, a lifelong Democrat, would challenge Columbus Republican Jon Husted, 57, who was appointed to the job by Gov. Mike DeWine earlier this year when J.D. Vance left the Senate to become vice president under President Donald Trump.
Brown’s website does have a link soliciting donations, but no press release was received as of noon on Aug. 12. His Facebook page hasn’t been updated since April 21, and the last post on his X page was July 16.
Axios.com reported an announcement would come within the next two weeks. Axios also reported Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) visited Brown last month in Ohio to encourage him to run.
Brown was interviewing campaign managers in recent weeks, Axios reported last month.
The political barbs have already been launched in earnest.
Tyson Shepard, a campaign spokesman for Husted, reacted to the announcement on X with the following post:
“Should Brown enter the race as Schumer’s hand-picked replacement, he will be starting in the biggest hole of his political career. He has never faced a candidate like Jon Husted. Brown’s slogans will ring hollow as his coalition walks away, tired of the radical policies he’s forced to support to appease his coastal bosses in California and New York.”
Democrats fired away at Husted on Aug. 6.
“Senator Husted started his first months in office making headlines for being unreachable, and despite the lack of communication Ohioans quickly learned that he isn’t working for anyone who isn’t a billionaire or special interest lobbyist,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer.
“During the August recess, his constituents are going to have a lot of concerns to share about his votes to cut healthcare, close rural hospitals, and take food away from hungry families.”
Brown ran for reelection to his U.S. Senate seat in 2024, but was defeated by Republican nominee Bernie Moreno.
Brown served from 2007 to 2025 as a U.S. Senator. Before that, he was a U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007. He served as secretary of state in Ohio from 1983 to 1991. His first political office was in 1975 as a state representative.
Cleveland.com theorized that Brown’s decision, which comes after months of speculation about his political future, gives Ohio Democrats perhaps their best hope of unseating the incumbent Husted.