By Salma El-Sakka
Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown has defeated Republican incumbent Jon Husted in the Ohio Senate race, NBC News projects, marking a dramatic return to the chamber two years after losing his reelection bid. Brown, 73, will serve the remaining two years of the six-year term that JD Vance won in 2022 and vacated upon becoming vice president.
Appointment and primary dynamics
Husted, 59, was appointed to the seat by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine after Vance's departure. He had been preparing a gubernatorial campaign but accepted the Senate appointment, avoiding a potentially bruising primary against Vivek Ramaswamy. Husted retained his $6 million gubernatorial war chest for the Senate race.
Campaign dominated by data centers and national issues
The race featured an onslaught of negative advertising and mirrored national vulnerabilities for Republicans, including the war with Iran, rising gas prices, and economic affordability concerns. In Ohio, data center construction for AI companies emerged as a pivotal issue. Husted, as lieutenant governor, had championed data centers, a position Brown and Democrats relentlessly attacked. The National Republican Senatorial Committee warned in an August memo that the issue could doom Husted's candidacy.
Trump intervention and personal attacks
President Donald Trump mounted a vigorous defense of Husted in the closing weeks, rallying with him twice in nine days. At an Oct. 12 rally in Youngstown, Trump praised Husted's athleticism, referencing his football background with former NFL coach Jon Gruden. Brown faced persistent scrutiny over his 50-year public career, with Republicans portraying him as a career politician with little to show. Brown countered by labeling Husted an unflinching Trump loyalist who supported the Iran war and initially voted against releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Historical significance
The victory cements Brown as the most successful Democrat in Ohio over the past three decades. For Husted, the defeat creates an uncertain future for a long-tenured officeholder who had long coveted the governor's office.
