OHSEN race fundraising points to political headwinds for GOP

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In yet another sign of growing Republican headwinds in Ohio, new campaign finance reports show that former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown raised three times as much money in the first quarter of the year than the man he is trying to unseat, Republican Sen. Jon Husted.

Brown raised $10.1 million, according to federal election data, and ended the quarter with $16.5 million in his campaign account. Husted raised $2.9 million and ended the quarter with $8.2 million in his campaign account.

Brown comes into the race with some advantages that set him apart from a typical challenger. Having served in the Senate for 18 years before losing to Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno in 2024, Brown still carries the name recognition and donor network of a three-term incumbent.

Unlike two years ago, when Brown had to balance a full Senate schedule with campaigning, he can now focus full time on the race.

“I feel like I’m having the opportunity now to go to every corner of the state and talk to people,” Brown said in an interview with Spectrum News.

Those advantages, combined with a national backlash to some of President Donald Trump’s policies, have contributed to a tough national environment for Republicans.

“I hear people very unhappy. I hear farmers, I hear small businesspeople, I hear consumers that are unhappy that they don’t have a voice in Washington,” Brown said.

Earlier this month, the Cook Political Report moved its rating of the Ohio Senate race from “leans Republican” to “toss up.”

This week, a Bowling Green State University poll found Husted leading Brown by three points, within the poll’s 3.9% margin of error.

In a sign of Republican concern, a GOP super-PAC this month announced plans to spend $79 million on the race.

“There’s a reason that that they’re spending tens of millions of dollars to beat me,” Brown said. “I mean, who’s spending it? Wall Street is spending it, the drug companies are spending it, the oil industry is spending, and big insurance is spending because they don’t want me to win, because they know I will take them on.”

A Democratic win is by no means guaranteed in Ohio, which was once considered a swing state but has swung sharply toward Republicans in the last decade. Ohio elected President Trump by 12 points in 2024.

Historically, Brown’s odds are slim. Since 1946, out of 30 defeated senators who ran for reelection, only six won.

Spectrum News reached out to Sen. Husted’s campaign, but he was not available for an interview for this story.