Candidates •
Sherrod Brown, U.S. Representative from
Lorain (Democratic) •
Mike DeWine, incumbent Senator since 1995 (Republican) • Richard Duncan (Independent)
Campaign The Republican Party, which was facing multiple challenges to their Senate majority, was initially determined to assist DeWine in his competitive race while the National Democratic party supported Brown in hopes of taking control of the Senate. John McClelland, a spokesman for the Ohio Republican Party said, "It's vitally important to the Republican Party as a whole, so I think that's why you see the president coming to Ohio to support Mike DeWine." Phil Singer, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said, "Mike DeWine Senior is in for the fight of his life, make no mistake about it." On July 14, 2006, DeWine's campaign began airing TV commercials depicting a smoking
World Trade Center. "The senator was notified... by a reporter at
U.S. News & World Report that the image of the burning Twin Towers could not have depicted the actual event because the smoke was blowing the wrong way." DeWine's campaign admitted that the video was actually a still photo of the
World Trade Center with smoke digitally added. DeWine's ads were changed to state only that he had failed to pay his unemployment taxes until legal action was taken against him. On October 16, 2006,
The New York Times reported that top national Republicans were moving resources away from the Ohio Senate race, as they had determined that DeWine was likely to lose and were seeking to spend money on races where Republican candidates were seen as having a better chance of winning.
Debates • Complete video of debate, October 1, 2006 • Complete video of debate, October 13, 2006 • Complete video of debate, October 19, 2006 • Complete video of debate, October 27, 2006
Fundraising During the election cycle, DeWine raised $14.9 million and spent $15.5 million. Brown raised $8.9 million and spent $10.8 million.
Predictions Polling Results Brown was declared the winner right when the polls closed in
Ohio at 7:30. DeWine had the second worst performance of a Republican incumbent in 2006; only Pennsylvania Senator
Rick Santorum had a
worse performance. While DeWine was able to win rural counties in western Ohio, Brown managed to win most eastern Ohio counties, especially in heavily populated areas. DeWine's narrow 2,000 vote victory in
Hamilton County which is home to
Cincinnati, came nowhere close to making a dent in Brown's lead. Brown would go on to be reelected to a second term in
2012, and a third term in
2018. Also in 2018, both Brown and DeWine were on the ballot but this time for different races; DeWine would be
elected Governor of Ohio. In 2024, Brown would be defeated for reelection.
By county ;Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic •
Harrison (Largest city:
Cadiz) •
Hocking (Largest city:
Logan) •
Jackson (Largest city:
Jackson) •
Lawrence (Largest city:
Ironton) •
Noble (Largest city:
Caldwell) •
Vinton (Largest city:
McArthur) •
Seneca (Largest city:
Tiffin) •
Huron (Largest city:
Norwalk) •
Columbiana (Largest city:
Salem) •
Carroll (Largest city:
Carrollton) •
Tuscarawas (largest city:
New Philadelphia) •
Guernsey (Largest city:
Cambridge) •
Coshocton (Largest city:
Coshocton) •
Geauga (Largest city:
Chardon) •
Medina (Largest city:
Medina) •
Morgan (Largest city:
McConnelsville) •
Washington (Largest city:
Marietta) •
Muskingum (Largest city:
Zanesville) •
Perry (Largest city:
New Lexington) •
Hocking (Largest city:
Logan) •
Jackson (Largest city:
Jackson) •
Lawrence (Largest city:
Ironton) •
Noble (Largest city:
Caldwell) •
Vinton (Largest city:
McArthur) •
Seneca (Largest city:
Tiffin) •
Huron (Largest city:
Norwalk) •
Columbiana (Largest city:
Salem) •
Carroll (Largest city:
Carrollton) •
Tuscarawas (largest city:
New Philadelphia) •
Guernsey (Largest city:
Cambridge) •
Coshocton (Largest city:
Coshocton) •
Geauga (Largest city:
Chardon) •
Medina (Largest city:
Medina) •
Morgan (Largest city:
McConnelsville) •
Washington (Largest city:
Marietta) •
Muskingum (Largest city:
Zanesville) •
Perry (Largest city:
New Lexington) •
Pike (Largest city:
Waverly) •
Ross (Largest city:
Chillicothe) •
Scioto (Largest city:
Portsmouth) •
Jefferson (largest city:
Steubenville) •
Sandusky (Largest city:
Fremont) •
Clark (largest municipality:
Springfield) •
Stark (largest city:
Canton) •
Athens (Largest city:
Athens) •
Montgomery (largest city:
Dayton) •
Franklin (Largest city:
Columbus) •
Portage (largest city:
Kent) •
Ashtabula (largest city:
Ashtabula) •
Summit (Largest city:
Akron) •
Lake (Largest city:
Mentor) •
Lorain (largest municipality:
Lorain) •
Erie (largest city:
Sandusky) •
Cuyahoga (Largest city:
Cleveland) •
Lucas (Largest city:
Toledo) •
Ottawa (Largest city:
Port Clinton) •
Wood (Largest city:
Bowling Green) ;Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican •
Madison (Largest city:
London)
By congressional district Sherrod Brown won 14 of 18 congressional districts, including seven districts which elected Republicans to the House. == See also ==