Republicans hold 53 Senate seats heading into the 2026 midterms. CBS News states the arithmetic: "With 53 Republicans in the upper chamber, Democrats would need to defend seats in a handful of potentially competitive states, while flipping four seats to retake a majority in 2026." Roll Call reported in January 2025 that Democrats could make a play for the Ohio and Florida seats "thanks to the upcoming respective resignations of Republicans JD Vance" and Marco Rubio.
The seat is Vance's. CBS News reports that Ohio law requires the governor to appoint a replacement until the next regular election, that the special election falls in November 2026, and that the winner serves out the term Vance won, set to expire in 2028. Ohio had not filled a U.S. Senate vacancy since 1974.
CBS News reports that Husted, 57, had been lieutenant governor since 2019 and before that Ohio secretary of state, and that Gov. Mike DeWine, announcing the pick, said "the person who is best suited to be the United States senator is a person who has been close to me for the last six years." Fox News reports he is running with Trump's endorsement to complete the term's final two years, and framed his filing around costs, jobs and the border: "My focus is on delivering for Ohio's working families."
Roll Call reports that Brown kept winning "by fairly comfortable margins, even as Ohio moved further to the right," but in 2024 lost to Bernie Moreno "by nearly 4 points in one of the nation's hardest-fought and most expensive Senate races." Fox News reports he ran ahead of the Democratic ticket in a state Trump carried by 11 points. PBS NewsHour reports he founded the Dignity of Work Institute in March 2025.
Semafor reported from Lordstown that Brown told UAW members he wants to ban imported Chinese electric vehicles, and described his brand as "pro-labor populism with targeted bipartisanship." CBS News reports that his farewell Senate remarks cited thwarting trade deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Semafor also notes that "Ohio last looked purple in 2012", and that DeWine, whom Brown beat by 12 points in 2006, won the 2022 governor's race by 25 points.
Brown said this in a campaign video about data center growth and electricity prices in Ohio.
“Ohio’s electric grid — big corporations treat it like a game”
Brown described what he would do about data center electricity costs in a campaign statement quoted in the article.
“I’ll require the data centers to pay the full cost of their own electricity — not you”
Brown said this in the video announcing his 2026 Senate campaign.
“I didn't plan to run for office again. But when I see what's going on, I know I can do something about it for Ohio”
Brown said this in the announcement video he shared on the day he launched his campaign.
“Standing up for workers. Treating everyone with dignity and respect. Working as hard as possible for the people of Ohio. I’ve tried to live my life by those principles. But these days that’s not what’s happening in Washington”
Husted spoke at an Ohio steel plant in an article about how the administration's trade policy is landing in states with contested Senate races.
“Today is a new day, it truly is”
Husted made the statement when he filed his paperwork for the 2026 Ohio Senate race.
“My focus is on delivering for Ohio’s working families”
Husted spoke about extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits as a Senate panel examined a possible health care deal.
“Just because we continue those tax credits does not drive down the cost”
Husted described other health care bills he said could move alongside the subsidy question during the same Senate panel discussion.
“There are at least five to 10 really solid pieces of legislation that I know have some bipartisan support that we could tackle to prove that we’re serious about driving down the overall cost, and that’s what I hope we’ll do”
Platforms are on the candidates' own sites, linked above.