Brown would be challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed earlier this year to fill the vacancy left by now-Vice President JD Vance.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown is reportedly planning a political comeback in 2026, with intentions to run for U.S. Senate once again, according to a report from CNN citing two individuals familiar with the matter.
Brown, a Democrat who served in the Senate from 2007 to early 2025, is said to have informed party allies of his decision to launch a campaign in the upcoming midterm election.
Brown, 72, would be challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Jon Husted, 57, who was appointed earlier this year to fill the vacancy left by now-Vice President JD Vance.
A spokesperson for Husted’s campaign told 10TV’s Doug Petcash that Brown has never faced a candidate like Husted.
“Should Brown enter the race as Schumer’s handpicked candidate he will be starting in the biggest hole of his political career,” the spokesperson said. “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.”
This comes months after his loss to Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno in the U.S. Senate race in Ohio last November. It was the most expensive Senate race last year and perhaps in U.S. history.
News of the potential run was first reported by Cleveland.com.
In Ohio, numerous fellow Democrats had been deferring to Brown before announcing their own plans for 2026, when every statewide executive office in Ohio is up for grabs due to term limits. Besides Senate, Brown was also weighing a run for governor. He immediately becomes the front-runner for the Democratic Senate nomination.
A spokesperson for former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan provided the following statement to 10TV:
“Sherrod Brown’s decision to run for the US Senate has renewed and heightened Tim Ryan’s interest in running for governor to further serve the people of Ohio.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, 10TV has reached out to representatives for Brown for comment but has not yet received a response.
📺 Download 10TV+ on your TV and watch for free! | Stay up to date on what’s happening in your community with a 24/7 live stream and on demand content from 10TV — available on
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
