GOP hit with creeping 'anxiety' as red state becomes surprise battleground

Ohio proved itself more of a red state after Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown failed to retain his seat in 2024. And along with Brown losing to Republican businessman Bernie Moreno, President Donald Trump won the rust belt state by 11 points.

But that was then, said MS NOW writer Hunter Woodall. Today U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, tapped to replace Vice President J.D. Vance in the Senate, is running to keep the seat through the end of the term in 2028, but Democrats are overperforming with the curmudgeonly Trump at the top of the Republican Party and fuel prices and a weak economy dragging down Republicans and their Congressional and White House trifecta.

“There’s no doubt that having Sherrod Brown at the top of the ticket makes a huge difference for Democrats’ ability to compete this cycle,” state House Democratic Leader Dani Isaacsohn said.

The Ohio Capitol Journal reports Brown outpaces Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted in fundraising.

“Brown brought in more than $7.3 million in direct contributions and transfers from other committees. With a nudge from joint fundraising groups, that total swells to $8.8 million. Meanwhile, Husted raised a little more than $1.5 million between direct donations and transfers from joint committees,” reports the Journal. “Brown has almost $10 million in the bank, while Husted has just shy of $6 million.”

Additionally, the Journal reports the bulk of Brown’s contributions come from individual, small dollar donations through the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue with Brown raising more than $2 million through the organization in the final few months of 2025. Brown’s campaign claims an average donation of about $54 and notes 18,640 donors made contributions for the first time.

And Brown is not the only Ohio hope Democrats are baiting. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is term-limited, the party sees an opening for Dr. Amy Acton, who served as DeWine’s director of the Ohio Department of Health during the Covid-19 pandemic, to win the governorship, said Woodall.

“In the short term … political gravity and a midterm cycle shaped by Trump’s second term and frustrations about the cost of living may help [Democrats] overcome the kind of messaging woes that last lost them control in Washington,” said Woodall.

Still, Republicans are trying to stay hopeful, said Woodall. “While Brown being on the ballot has created at least a level of anxiety among Republicans, there’s still confidence within GOP circles that the state’s red hue will remain.”

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