Since he flipped a seat from red to blue in 2006, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown has been an anomaly in the Buckeye State as it has moved away from once revered swing state status to a reliable red hue over the past decade.
Republicans believe this is the year that electoral gravity will finally catch up with Brown, who is a populist but not a moderate in the vein of West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin or even Montana Sen. Jon Tester — his 2024 compatriots who also represent overwhelmingly Republican states former President Donald Trump won twice.
Democrats say they’re confident in the unique brand Brown has built in the state — even if Rep. Tim Ryan couldn’t replicate that last cycle in an open seat race against a weak Republican in now-Sen. J.D. Vance. They argue Brown has strength in urban areas — particularly the “three C” cities of Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati — along with appeal in more rural parts of the state that give him a unique advantage.
But this will be the first
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