Husted and Brown battle for high-profile Senate seat

State of play: Brown served three Senate terms before losing a 2024 reelection bid.

• Husted was appointed last year to a Senate seat left open by JD Vance's resignation to become vice president.

• November's winner will serve out the term's remaining two years. The seat will be up for election to a full six-year term in 2028.

Follow the money: No debates are planned, but Democratic and Republican advertisers had spent or reserved over $400 million toward ads as of Oct. 8.

• That put Ohio on pace to host the most expensive Senate race in the country for the second election cycle in a row.

Zoom in: Data center opposition has defined the race, with a private GOP memo from August sharing concern about the issue harming the party's chances.

• Brown's campaign has called Husted "the face of data centers in Ohio."
• Husted supported data center development as lieutenant governor, but introduced legislation this summer to require states to consider making data centers cover their power costs. Democrats blocked it, Cleveland.com reported.

Meanwhile, Brown has faced Republican attacks over transgender rights, as he did in 2024. His campaign has called this a distraction from economic issues.

The big picture: With the race considered a toss-up, party leaders like President Trump and Vance have rallied to support Husted.

What's next: Former President Obama is set to visit Cleveland in support of Brown on Oct. 24.