Washington — Sen. Jon Husted and former Sen. Sherrod Brown will face off in November, after Brown won his primary on Tuesday night, CBS News projects.
Husted was unopposed in Tuesday's primary.
The projected victories in the Buckeye State tee up what could be among the most expensive Senate races this cycle, as Brown attempts a comeback two years after losing reelection. Now, Democrats see the state as one of a handful of opportunities to flip a seat, with a narrow path to take control of the Senate.
Brown lost his reelection bid to GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno in 2024 after representing Ohio for three terms in the Senate. At the time, Brown lost by less than four percentage points in a state that President Trump won by more than 10. Democrats are hoping that shifting midterm dynamics, along with Brown's strong name recognition and working-class brand in the state, can tip the scales in their favor.
Husted, who formerly served as Ohio's lieutenant governor and as secretary of state after a decade in the state legislature, is defending the seat for the first time. He was appointed last year to fill Vice President JD Vance's seat.
Ohio's 2024 Senate race was the most expensive of the cycle, and this year's Senate contest is already shaping up to be costly. Republicans are investing heavily in the race, with the Senate Leadership Fund announcing their largest advertising reservation so far last month at $79 million. The Democratic Senate Majority PAC announced a $40 million investment in ad reservations on Tuesday.
Brown far outpaced Husted in first-quarter fundraising, according to Federal Election Commission filings, with $10.1 million to Husted's $2.9 million. Heading into the primary, Brown had $17 million in cash on hand, while Husted had $8.1 million.
Despite the fundraising advantage, Democrats still face an uphill battle in Ohio — and in their effort to flip the Senate more broadly. While Republicans are defending more seats in the midterms, many of them are in states that Mr. Trump won by comfortable margins in the last cycle.
Democrats, with a handful of open seats to defend and few opportunities for pickups, must net four seats to take the majority. But their chances have appeared to improve in recent weeks as the unpopular war with Iran and stubborn affordability issues have beleaguered GOP midterm ambitions.
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