# Jon Husted Republican U.S. Senator from Ohio since January 2025, appointed by Governor [[Mike DeWine]] to fill the seat vacated when [[JD Vance]] resigned to become Vice President. Running to complete the balance of Vance's term through 2028 in the 2026 special election. ## Career highlights - Ohio Secretary of State 2011–2019, period covering 2012, 2016, 2018 general elections - Lieutenant Governor under Mike DeWine, 2019–2025 - Appointed to Senate January 2025; first Senate term is partial ## 2026 cycle Faces former three-term Democratic Senator [[Sherrod Brown]] — who lost his regular-cycle seat in 2024 to [[Bernie Moreno]] — in what [[Cook Political Report]] now rates **Toss Up** (shifted from Lean R on 2026-04-13). Early Emerson polling showed Husted +6 but the trajectory has been toward Brown. Husted is unopposed in the May 5 Republican primary. See [[OH-Sen-2026-Special]] for full race context. ## Ideological positioning - Conventional Republican; institutional not MAGA-movement brand - Secretary of State tenure included voter-roll maintenance controversies and absentee-ballot management that shaped his national profile pre-Trump - Trump-endorsed for 2026 despite not being a MAGA-aligned figure historically ## Related - [[OH-Sen-2026-Special]] - [[JD Vance]] - [[Sherrod Brown]]