Brown won 53-47 against a weak opponent with little statewide name recognition. Brown is the ultimate political name in Ohio. The electorate is very schizophrenic in that they’ll hand Trump an eight-point win and 18 electoral votes, re-elect a center-right Republican (Portman) to the Senate, and then re-elect an ultra-liberal whose has a higher liberal rating than Barack Obama. Unless he comes up with a message and campaign that has nationwide appeal, I don’t think Brown will be able to position himself for a run that requires a broader appeal than just the fringe left.
“Unless he comes up with a message and campaign that has nationwide appeal, I don’t think Brown will be able to position himself for a run that requires a broader appeal than just the fringe left.”
Brown isn’t known outside Ohio. The mainstream media, which most independents depend on for news, will define him the way he chooses to position himself, likely as a bipartisan moderate.
In 2020 at least one of the two candidates at the top of the GOP ticket will be a minority. Getting a larger than normal black vote turnout has the potential to swing Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, and Ohio to the Democrat side and win the election. It worked in 2008 and 2012 and the demographic trends are even more favorable in 2020. It is not hard to envision Hillary or Elizabeth Warren at the top of the ticket with Cory Booker, Deval Patrick or Kamala Harris as number two. If Oprah or Michelle Obama chooses to run there will be black female at the top of the ticket. In that event the Brown might have a shot at the VP slot to ensure Ohio goes Dem. Bento will likely not make the final cut because he did not prove an ability to swing the Texas vote into the Democrat column in 2018. Brown is more likely to lock up Ohio than Bento is to lock up Texas. The Dems ticket in 2020 will be constructed to win, not to allow egos to play.