Sherrod Brown gives Democrats jolt of enthusiasm in Ohio

The Hill ^ | 08/14/25 6:00 AM ET | by Jared Gans

[RandFan]

Democrats are making a play for Ohio in next year’s Senate race as former Sen. Sherrod Brown prepares an expected comeback attempt.

The Buckeye State was once firmly purple but has become increasingly red in the Trump era. President Trump won the state in 2024 with 55 percent of the vote, and Brown lost his bid for reelection to Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), winning 46.5 percent of the vote.

Those totals show Brown was much more popular with Ohio voters than former President Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, and Democrats think a lower-turnout midterm election could carry him to victory.

“When Trump is on the ballot, as Sherrod painfully found out, it’s hard to win, because his turnout is high, and he ends up spiking turnout in red parts of the state,” said David Pepper, a former state Democratic Party chair who led the party during Brown’s last successful run in 2018.

But Pepper noted Trump won’t be on the ballot next year, and he said a hidden trend has been conservative-leaning counties not being quite as solidly Republican in some elections more recently.

“If that continues to be a trend in ‘26, all of a sudden Ohio is a winnable state for good Democratic candidates,” he said.

[OftheOhio]

David Pepper (if I remember correctly) was part of the team from Cincinnati that came to my county and said All THE POWER from a thousand of acres solar panel installation was to go to Cincinnati! That’s certainly a great example of regionalism, lol. Note: There are no solar installations in Hamilton county, why is that?

You feeling like a peasant yet, Ohioans.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Brown is beatable, but a serious threat as he does not come off as bat guano insane, unlike other Dems.

Yes, his voting record is bad, but he lasted as long as he has by selling himself as for the working man and as an average Joe. He keeps the loons among his staff and supporters in the background, so you don’t see most of the performative obnoxious stuff with him .

[LS]

OH is one of those states like TX where DemoKKKrats never learn. They said it was “close” in 2016. Trump won by 8.

They said it was close with Vance. He won by 4.

They said it was close in 2024. Trump won by 8.5.

They ALWAYS underpoll Rs in OH by at least 4 points.

[DIRTYSECRET]

**Vivek is a fraud, complete con man, and OH sadly looks like they are about to fall for it. Insane. Ohio you guys deserve and can do so much better..**

You could be right but he’ll get the nomination. The alternative will then be a democrat governor.