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MIDTERMS 2026 - SENATE

Ohio special election

TOSS UP R-held - Special: Vance's old seat

Election day is Tuesday, November 3 - 7 days away.

DEMOCRAT

Sherrod Brown

Three-term former U.S. senator who lost his 2024 bid for a fourth term to Bernie Moreno; earlier Ohio Secretary of State in the 1980s. source

REPUBLICAN - INCUMBENT

Jon Husted

Appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine in 2025 to JD Vance's Senate seat; previously lieutenant governor, Ohio Secretary of State and Ohio House Speaker. source

Where they differ

Only issues they disagree on. Each position is something the candidate said, voted for or published, linked to where.

2025 tax law and Medicaid

BROWN

Says the law's Medicaid and ACA changes will cost 490,000 Ohioans their coverage; called Husted's vote his worst. source

HUSTED

Voted for the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act; his campaign says Ohio health and rural hospital funding will grow. source

Tariffs

BROWN

Calls tariffs "a tax on darn near everything" and wants collected tariff money rebated to Ohio families. source

HUSTED

Wants refunds of struck-down tariffs to go "back to the businesses who paid it." source

Iran war

BROWN

Opposes the war, saying Washington should focus on lowering prices, "not waging another war in the Middle East." source

HUSTED

Voted against war powers resolutions that would require congressional approval to continue the war. source

Abortion

BROWN

Backed Ohio's 2023 abortion-rights amendment (Issue 1) and made abortion access central to his campaign. source

HUSTED

Opposed Issue 1; endorsed in March 2026 by SBA Pro-Life America's candidate fund. source

Voter ID

BROWN

Called Husted's federal photo-ID proposal unnecessary and said leaders should make voting easier. source

HUSTED

Proposed a federal law requiring photo ID at the polls, with three days to cure a provisional ballot. source

The money

Each campaign's own filings with the Federal Election Commission, for the whole 2026 cycle. Reports are filed on different days, so check the date under each name.

RAISED

Brown $68.4M

Husted $19.9M

SPENT

Brown $64.0M

Husted $15.7M

CASH LEFT

Brown $4.5M

Husted $4.2M

Brown: through 2026-10-14; Husted: through 2026-10-14. Source: FEC, read 2026-10-23.

Outside groups

Money super PACs, parties and other groups reported spending on their own to help or hurt each candidate.

Sherrod Brown

to help $288K

to hurt $4.2M

Jon Husted

to help $5.1M

to hurt $1.1M

Independent expenditures reported to the FEC for the 2026 cycle, primary included. Groups that do not have to report (some issue ads) are not counted.

Latest polling

Marist (Oct 15-18, 2026, likely voters, +/-4.5): Brown 48%, Husted 44%. source

Ohio right now

How the state is doing going into the vote, from the people who count it.

JOBLESS RATE

3.4%

US: 4.2%

September 2026, seasonally adjusted, preliminary. Source: BLS

GAS, REGULAR

$4.37

US: $4.27

State average on 2026-10-27. Source: AAA

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Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Sherrod Brown by United States Senate, Public domain; Jon Husted by United States Senate, Public domain.

Positions checked 2026-10-23. Things they agree on are left out on purpose. Spot something wrong? Use the feedback button and we will fix it.