Sherrod Brown beat appointed Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio’s special election, winning back a Senate seat two years after voters removed him — a Democratic flip the AP called at about 11:12 p.m. ET.
Sherrod Brown is one of the most familiar faces in Ohio politics. He served in the U.S. Senate from 2007 to 2025, three full terms, before losing re-election in 2024 to Bernie Moreno.
Before the Senate, Brown, 73, spent seven terms in the U.S. House and served as Ohio’s secretary of state. His first election win came in 1974, when he was elected to the Ohio House at age 21. His career has one theme, repeated for 50 years: the “dignity of work” — the idea that every job should pay enough to live on. In 2025 he founded the Dignity of Work Institute to keep pushing it.
Tuesday’s special election filled the seat JD Vance left when he became vice president. Brown beat Jon Husted, the former lieutenant governor appointed to hold the seat.
The term runs only through January 2029, so Brown must run again in 2028. Watch whether voters treat this comeback as a return or a farewell.
Fast facts
- Age: 73
- Party: Democratic
- Office: U.S. Senator
- State: Ohio
- Previous job: U.S. Senator from Ohio (2007–2025)
- Called by AP: About 11:12 p.m. ET, Nov. 3, 2026 (special election)
Part of the Zark News Election 2026 winners profile series. Winners are listed as called by the Associated Press.
