2026 United States Senate special election in Ohio

After voting for President Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012, Ohio has trended increasingly Republican in subsequent years and is now considered a moderately to strongly red state at the federal and state level. Republicans control all statewide offices, majorities in both chambers of the state legislature, and hold both Senate seats. Republicans also have a majority of the state's House delegation with ten seats compared to five for Democrats. Republican nominee Donald Trump won Ohio in 2016 and 2020 by 8 percentage points, and in 2024 grew his margin to 11 percentage points. Additionally, Republican JD Vance, now the vice president of the United States, defeated Democrat Tim Ryan in the 2022 U.S. Senate election by slightly over 6 points, while Republican Bernie Moreno defeated then-incumbent Sherrod Brown in the 2024 U.S. Senate election by slightly over 3.5 points. ==Interim appointment==

According to Ohio law, if a U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant, the governor appoints a replacement who serves until December 15 following the next regularly scheduled statewide election that occurs more than 180 days after the vacancy. A special election to fill the remainder of the term is then held concurrently with that regular state election, which in this case would be the one on November 3, 2026. Governor Mike DeWine chose then-Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted to replace Vance in the Senate. Appointee • Jon Husted, lieutenant governor of Ohio (2019–2025) Considered but not appointed • Matt Dolan, former state senator from the 24th district (2017–2024) and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022 and 2024 • Frank LaRose, Ohio secretary of state (2019–present) and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024 • Dave Yost, Ohio attorney general (2019–present) (ran for governor, later withdrew) ==Republican primary==

Candidates Nominee • Jon Husted, incumbent U.S. senator (2025–present) Endorsements Fundraising Results ==Democratic primary==

Candidates Nominee • Sherrod Brown, former U.S. senator (2007–2025) Eliminated in primary • Ron Kincaid, IT professional and Special Olympics coach Withdrawn • Fred Ode, venture capital executive • Chris Volpe, tech entrepreneur • Lynnea Lau, research integrity executive • Dakota Rose, community activist Declined • Shontel Brown, U.S. representative from (2021–present) (running for re-election) • Tim Ryan, former U.S. representative from (2003–2023), nominee for U.S. Senate in 2022, and candidate for president in 2020 • Emilia Sykes, U.S. representative from (2023–present) (running for re-election) • Casey Weinstein, state senator from the 28th district (2025–present) Endorsements Fundraising Italics indicate a withdrawn candidate. Results ==Libertarian primary==

Former Libertarian National Committee chair William Redpath is running as a Libertarian. Health care consultant Jeffrey Kanter was disqualified from the Libertarian primary by Ohio Libertarians, citing Kanter submitted hundreds of invalid signatures with his candidate petition. Candidates Nominee • Bill Redpath, former Libertarian National Committee chair and nominee for 2022 United States Senate election in Illinois Disqualified • Jeffrey Kanter, healthcare consultant Results == General election ==

Predictions Fundraising Polling Jon Husted vs. Sherrod Brown Aggregate polls Jon Husted vs. Tim Ryan Results ==See also==