Although the 2026 election cycle might feel far off, U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) took Vice President JD Vance’s vacant seat just about three months ago, and he’s already running to defend it.
Husted, who Gov. Mike DeWine appointed in January, seeks to hold the seat longer than his initial appointment term ending in 2026. Right now, it’s a one-man race, though his campaign hasn’t officially launched, according to a spokesperson.
President Donald Trump endorsed Husted last Wednesday in a Truth Social post, signaling Husted is not likely to face a serious challenge within the party.
“Jon is a wonderful man, has ALWAYS delivered for Ohio, and will continue doing so in the U.S. Senate. He is working hard to Create Jobs, Lower Costs, Promote Products and Services MADE IN AMERICA,” Trump wrote.
Trump won Ohio in 2016 and 2020 by more than eight points, and gained votes in the 2024 election, winning by more than 11 points over former Vice President Kamala Harris.
National polls show Trump’s approval ratings have dropped in recent weeks, with his tariffs ushering in some economic uncertainty. Even if the president’s ratings sink further between now and next year, Husted said Friday the endorsement will stay a strength in Ohio.
“Donald Trump is one of the most popular presidents in modern history, and I don’t think that that will change very much,” Husted said in an interview. “(Trump) has endured as a positive brand in the state of Ohio, and voters have come to trust him.”
Though he’s only been in the Senate a short time, Husted has served in elected office since 2000—rising through the ranks at the Ohio Statehouse, to most recently serving as DeWine’s lieutenant governor.
Husted said Friday he’s running on a record of restoring “fiscal sanity.”
“I know that the DOGE cuts have made some people uncomfortable,” Husted said, “But they’ve identified hundreds of billions of dollars in things that are truly wasteful.”
It’s not yet clear who Husted will face in the November 2026 election. Former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, could enter the fray. U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Trump-backed Republican businessman and political newcomer, ousted Brown in November.
Heading into Election Day, the race was one of the tightest and costliest in the country.
Brown’s campaign committee raised just about $84.6 million in 2023 and 2024, more than tripling the $24.2 million raised by Moreno’s campaign committee, according to October filings with the Federal Elections Commission.
If Husted wins, he will have to run for reelection in 2028 for a full six-year term.
(Note: This story has been edited to reflect that Trump won by 11.2 points in 2024 in Ohio.)
