Jon Husted leads Sherrod Brown in Ohio Senate poll amid campaign criticism

Republican Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown are engaged in a closely contested Ohio U.S. Senate race. An ActiVote poll conducted between September 26 and October 18, 2026, shows Husted leading Brown by 0.4% among 400 likely midterm voters. Husted holds leads among rural voters, men, and White voters, while Brown leads among urban and suburban voters, women, and college-educated voters.

Despite the narrow polling lead for Husted, betting markets favor Brown, with odds at -200. Internal Republican criticism has also surfaced regarding Husted’s campaign performance. Reports from Politico Playbook indicate that some Republican strategists have criticized the campaign, with one MAGA-aligned strategist describing it as potentially the “worst campaign in the country.” The Ohio Democratic Party has also issued statements criticizing Husted’s ties to special interests.