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How the 2026 Ohio Senate special election unfolded

When JD Vance left the Senate to become vice president in January 2025, Governor Mike DeWine appointed Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted to the seat. Former senator Sherrod Brown, who lost Ohio's other seat in 2024, entered the race in August 2025. Husted was unopposed for the Republican nomination and Brown won the Democratic primary on 5 May 2026, setting up a 3 November vote for the rest of the term to January 2029.

🇺🇸 United States
2024 to 28 October 2026 · 14 dated events · 15 sources
Status in the record · 2 November 2026

As of 2 November 2026, the Wood County Board of Elections candidate list names Jon Husted, Sherrod Brown, William B. Redpath and Greg Levy for the unexpired Senate term ending 3 January 2029, alongside three write-in candidates. The election is on 3 November.

Coverage through28 October 2026Editorial review2 November 2026

Main story: 17 January 2025 to 28 October 2026. The full timeline also includes labelled context or related events.

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In 30 seconds: the turning points
  1. 17 Jan 2025 DeWine names Husted to the vacant seat
  2. 21 Jan 2025 Husted is sworn in as senator
  3. 18 Aug 2025 Brown announces a run for the seat
  4. 5 May 2026 Primaries set the general election matchup
  5. 26 Aug 2026 Four candidates certified for the ballot

Timeline of events

Overview · 2024 to 28 Oct 2026 · click a dot to jump
2024202520262024: Brown loses his Senate seat to Moreno10 January 2025: Vance resigns from the Senate17 January 2025: DeWine names Husted to the vacant seat18 January 2025: Certificate appoints Husted21 January 2025: Husted is sworn in as senator9 April 2025: Trump endorses Husted for 202618 August 2025: Brown announces a run for the seat18 August 2025: Husted campaign responds5 May 2026: Primaries set the general election matchup26 August 2026: Four candidates certified for the ballot3 October 2026: Trump rallies for Husted in Vandalia12 October 2026: Trump rally in Youngstown22 October 2026: Advertising spending and reservations pass $400 million28 October 2026: Trump's third Ohio rally of October

14 events shown

2024
2024
Background context
Start

Brown loses his Senate seat to Moreno

Sherrod Brown, who had represented Ohio in the Senate since 2007, lost his 2024 reelection bid to Bernie Moreno. Campaigns, parties and outside groups spent more than $400 million on ads in that race, according to AdImpact as cited by the Associated Press. Brown said afterwards that he had not planned to run for his seat again, the AP reported.

WCPO (Associated Press)WTVG 13abc (Associated Press)
Sources and context
2025
17 Jan 2025
Turning point
Leadership

DeWine names Husted to the vacant seat

Governor Mike DeWine named Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted to fill the seat, the Associated Press reported. Others considered included Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Treasurer Robert Sprague, state Senator Matt Dolan and former state party chair Jane Timken. Vivek Ramaswamy had also visited DeWine to express interest.

“I have worked with him, I have seen him, I know his knowledge of Ohio.”Mike DeWine, Arizona's Family (Associated Press)
🇺🇸 Columbus, OhioArizona's Family (Associated Press)
Sources and context
18 Jan 2025
Legal step

Certificate appoints Husted

The certificate of appointment printed in the Congressional Record is dated 18 January 2025 and signed by Governor Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose. It appoints Husted until the vacancy is filled by election, rather than giving him a full elected term.

🇺🇸 Washington, D.C.Congressional Record
Sources and context
9 Apr 2025
Statement

Trump endorses Husted for 2026

Husted's campaign announced President Donald Trump's endorsement for the 2026 election. Husted said he was honoured by the endorsement. AP later also described Husted as endorsed by Trump.

Jon Husted campaignWTVG 13abc (Associated Press)
Sources and context

An attributed statement records what the speaker said.

18 Aug 2025
Turning point
Start

Brown announces a run for the seat

Brown announced that he would run in the 2026 special election for the seat Husted holds, rather than for Moreno's seat, the Associated Press reported. He had also been weighing a run for governor. The winner serves the rest of Vance's term, which runs through 2028.

“My career has been about workers. His career has been about special interests.”Sherrod Brown, WTVG 13abc (Associated Press)
WCPO (Associated Press)WTVG 13abc (Associated Press)
Sources and context
18 Aug 2025
Statement

Husted campaign responds

Husted's campaign said in a statement that for 30 years Brown had imposed Washington's problems on Ohio, the AP reported. A Husted campaign spokesman said Brown would be starting in the biggest hole of his political career.

“Sherrod Brown's recent announcement means Ohioans will face a clear choice in 2026.”Husted campaign, WCPO (Associated Press)
WCPO (Associated Press)WTVG 13abc (Associated Press)
Sources and context

An attributed statement records what the speaker said.

2026
5 May 2026
Turning point
Finding

Primaries set the general election matchup

Husted was unopposed in the Republican primary. The Associated Press called the Democratic primary for Brown, who defeated Ron Kincaid.

Associated Press via ClickOnDetroitFox News (Associated Press call), via WFMD
Sources and context
26 Aug 2026
Turning point
Filing

Four candidates certified for the ballot

The candidate list certified by the Wood County Board of Elections on 26 August for the unexpired Senate term ending 3 January 2029 names Sherrod Brown (Democratic), Jon Husted (Republican), William B. Redpath (Libertarian) and Greg Levy (other-party candidate), with three write-in candidates.

Wood County Board of Elections
Sources and context

A filing records a party's position. It is not by itself a finding.

3 Oct 2026
Statement

Trump rallies for Husted in Vandalia

Trump held a rally in Vandalia near Dayton at which Husted spoke, WCPO reported. The AP later reported the Dayton-area visit when covering his return to Ohio for a Youngstown rally.

🇺🇸 Vandalia, OhioWCPOAssociated Press via CNY Central
Sources and context

An attributed statement records what the speaker said.

12 Oct 2026
Statement

Trump rally in Youngstown

Trump held a rally at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown to support Husted, the Associated Press reported. WCPO later listed Youngstown among his October campaign visits to Ohio.

🇺🇸 Youngstown, OhioAssociated Press via CNY CentralWCPO
Sources and context

An attributed statement records what the speaker said.

22 Oct 2026
Statement

Advertising spending and reservations pass $400 million

More than $400 million had been spent or reserved for advertising in the race, The National News Desk and Fox19 reported. The total included future advertising reservations, not just advertisements already aired.

WJLA (The National News Desk)Fox19 WXIX
Sources and context

An attributed statement records what the speaker said.

28 Oct 2026
Statement

Trump's third Ohio rally of October

Trump held a rally at Ohio University's Chillicothe campus with Husted and Vivek Ramaswamy, his third Ohio visit of the month, WCPO and Spectrum News reported. Husted criticised Brown's record from the stage.

“I'm going to fight for their jobs”Jon Husted, Spectrum News 1 Ohio
🇺🇸 Chillicothe, OhioWCPOSpectrum News 1 Ohio
Sources and context

An attributed statement records what the speaker said.

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Sources

15 records, ranked by type
  1. 1News reporting17 Jan 2025
    Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted will succeed JD Vance in the US Senate
    Arizona's Family (Associated Press) · azfamily.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  2. 2News reporting18 Aug 2025
    Sherrod Brown announces run for return to US Senate in 2026
    WCPO (Associated Press) · wcpo.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  3. 3News reportingAug 2025
    Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown makes it official. He'll vie to unseat Trump-backed Sen. Jon Husted
    WTVG 13abc (Associated Press) · 13abc.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  4. 4News reporting5 May 2026
    Sherrod Brown secures Ohio Dem nomination, faces GOP's Husted in key battle for Senate majority
    Fox News (Associated Press call), via WFMD · wfmd.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  5. 5Government publication26 Aug 2026
    Candidate list, November 3, 2026 general election
    Wood County Board of Elections · boe.woodcountyohio.gov
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  6. 6News reporting4 Oct 2026
    Trump rallies Ohio Republicans in Vandalia ahead of midterm election
    WCPO · wcpo.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  7. 7News reporting20 Oct 2026
    Big spending in Ohio as Husted and Brown battle for Rust Belt voters
    WJLA (The National News Desk) · wjla.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  8. 8News reporting28 Oct 2026
    President Trump returns to Ohio to rally voters in Chillicothe
    WCPO · wcpo.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  9. 9News reporting29 Oct 2026
    Trump campaigns in Chillicothe as Ohio election push enters final days
    Spectrum News 1 Ohio · spectrumnews1.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  10. 10News reporting12 Oct 2026
    Trump attacks immigrants from Somalia, Haiti while rallying in Ohio for GOP candidates
    Associated Press via CNY Central · cnycentral.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  11. 11News reporting22 Oct 2026
    Ohio's US Senate race is one of the most competitive and expensive in the nation
    Fox19 WXIX · fox19.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  12. 12Government publication21 Jan 2025
    Appointment of Jon Husted: certificate printed in Congressional Record S275
    Congressional Record · govinfo.gov
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  13. 13Government publication21 Jan 2025
    Tuesday January 21 2025 Senate proceedings
    United States Senate Daily Press Gallery · dailypress.senate.gov
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  14. 14First-party publication9 Apr 2025
    Trump Endorses Jon Husted
    Jon Husted campaign · jonhustedforsenate.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy
  15. 15News reporting5 May 2026
    The Latest: Voters head to the polls for primaries in Ohio and Indiana
    Associated Press via ClickOnDetroit · clickondetroit.com
    Open original ↗Archived copy

Coverage through 28 October 2026. Editorial review: 2 November 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Copyright concerns: report an asset. Every event links to its sources. Source type does not establish whether a claim is true.