In the coming Ohio Senate election, voters are asked to choose between two very different visions of public service. On one side stands Sherrod Brown, a seasoned senator whose career has been marked by an unshakable commitment to working-class Ohioans. On the other hand, Jon Husted is a candidate whose tenure in state politics has left behind a troubling trail of unanswered questions, questionable alliances, and ethical missteps. The contrast is more than political. It is moral. It is a contest between a leader who has consistently put people before power and a politician who has too often seemed to treat public office as a personal opportunity.
Sherrod Brown has spent his career fighting for the dignity of work, a principle that has guided him across decades of public service. His authenticity has become rare in a national political climate too often dominated by posturing and performance. Brown has repeatedly returned to the same message: that every Ohioan, whether they work in a factory, a classroom, a hospital, or a farm, deserves respect and economic security. This message is not simply rhetoric. A record of results backs it. When a steel mill in eastern Ohio was at risk of being shuttered, Brown worked relentlessly to bring it back online. Six hundred jobs were saved and the surrounding community given a new lease on life. When companies sought to offshore production or chip away at labor rights, Brown did not hesitate to stand with unions, not just in front of cameras but on the picket lines and in policy negotiations.
Brown introduced the Federal Jobs for STARs Act in 2024 to recognize the structural inequities in the modern economy. The bill targeted a quiet but persistent barrier to employment: the unnecessary credentialing of jobs that do not require a four-year degree. Rather than privileging pedigree, the legislation encourages the federal government to hire based on skills and practical experience. It is one of several proposals that show Brown’s keen understanding of how opportunity is increasingly gated in twenty-first-century America and his willingness to do something about it.
Brown has also proven himself a reliable steward of forward-looking policy. He has backed clean energy initiatives, co-sponsoring the Clean Energy Jobs Act and authoring legislation to boost solar panel manufacturing in Ohio. These efforts are not just about climate change, though he is clear-eyed about its consequences. They are also about positioning Ohio to benefit from the emerging green economy and ensuring that the state is not left behind as global energy markets shift. Sherrod Brown has been a consistent and principled voice in every major debate of consequence to Ohioans on infrastructure, healthcare, veterans' benefits, and trade. He is a Democrat, yes, but one who wins respect across the aisle, especially among blue-collar conservatives who may disagree with him on some issues but never question his sincerity.
Jon Husted, by contrast, brings with him a political career that serious ethical concerns and a troubling approach to public accountability have clouded. As lieutenant governor, Husted became entangled in the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history: the FirstEnergy bribery scheme surrounding House Bill 6. That legislation bailed out two failing nuclear plants for $1.3 billion to taxpayers was the product of a covert lobbying effort involving dark money and backroom deals. Text messages revealed Husted’s involvement in strategizing with FirstEnergy executives, raising profound concerns about his proximity to a scheme that led to federal convictions and deepened public mistrust in state government. When news broke that FirstEnergy had secretly funneled $1 million to a political group supporting Husted’s past campaign, the lieutenant governor refused to answer whether he knew of the contribution. The silence was deafening.
Even beyond the scandal, Husted has displayed a troubling tendency to blur the line between public office and private gain. While still serving as lieutenant governor, he accepted a paid board seat at Heartland Bank, an unprecedented move that legal experts and ethics watchdogs quickly criticized. At a time when Ohioans are struggling with inflation, healthcare costs, and job insecurity, their second-highest executive officer chose to supplement his income with corporate board fees. It was not just tone-deaf. It was revealing. For Husted, power is a platform for personal advancement, not a responsibility to those he serves.
His record as Secretary of State is also cause for concern. Husted presided over aggressive voter roll purges and approved uncertified election software in some jurisdictions; decisions raised bipartisan alarm and prompted legal challenges. These actions speak not to a commitment to democratic integrity but to a troubling pattern of partisan gamesmanship and disregard for fair process. While Sherrod Brown seeks to expand access to opportunity and restore faith in government, Husted’s past suggests he may be more interested in consolidating power and shielding his actions from scrutiny.
Elections are moments of decision, but they are also moments of reflection. Ohio must now consider who these candidates are today and what their past conduct tells us about the future they will shape. At Sherrod Brown, we have a public servant with a proven record, a moral compass, and the humility to listen and lead. In Jon Husted, we see a politician whose ambition too often seems to eclipse his obligation to the public. The choice is not difficult. It is imperative. For the future of Ohio, for the health of its democracy, and the dignity of its people, Sherrod Brown deserves our support.
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