Sherrod Brown for Ohio US Senate 2026 ? [View all]
Vance will have to vacate that seat before January 20th. The Ohio Governor will appoint an interim GOP Senator, and a special election will be held in 2026 to fill the seat for the remaining two years of Vance's term.
Brown lost his Senate re-election bid by only about four percentage points against the Trump headwind, which swept Ohio by double digits.
In 2026, the situation is likely to be much different. Trump won't be on the ballot, and very likely there will be the usual backlash against the party in the White House-- compounded by whatever madness Trump commits over the next two years. (Think 2018 or 2006, when Brown was first elected). There is almost certain to be a heavy tail-wind behind the Democrats, and no Trump on the ballot to bring out the lazy maggot faction.
Brown is really the only Democrat left in Ohio with much political stature. On top of that, he already has an organization from 18 years as senator, and from this past campaign. Certainly he could raise a lot of money nationwide if he runs, and a good-sized volunteer army available for a phone call.
If he were to run for that seat, and win, that would be a huge plus for Democratic prospects for re-taking the U.S. Senate, although I believe that may not be possible before 2028... Certainly, I think he is the best chance the Democrats have to re-take that Senate seat in 2026 and hold it in 2028.
https://signalcleveland.org/filling-vp-elect-jd-vances-u-s-senate-seat-the-future-of-ohios-democratic-party/
(There is a question of whether he might run for Governor of Ohio instead-- but that wouldn't help the rest of the country too much... and he couldn't do all that much for Ohio, as I anticipate they will continue to have a lock on the legislature through gerrymandering.)
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