Brown hauls in $6.6M for Ohio Senate reelection bid

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) raised $6.6 million in the last quarter of fundraising of 2023 for his Ohio Senate reelection bid, his campaign announced Friday. 

Brown’s campaign noted that close to 96 percent of those who contributed to his campaign donated up to $100, and he’s received contributions from every county in Ohio. The campaign said he started 2024 with $14.6 million in the bank.  

“Sherrod Brown is fighting for Ohio while his opponents fight for the title of largest self-funder – that’s why Sherrod continues to have the momentum in this race,” Brown campaign manager Rachel Petri said in a statement.  

Brown is seeking a fourth term in the upper chamber and is bracing for a competitive reelection bid. The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates his seat as a “toss-up.”  

Businessman Bernie Moreno, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) and state Sen. Matt Dolan (R) are all vying for the Republican nomination to take on Brown. Moreno received a boost last month when former President Trump endorsed him. He’s also won endorsements from other notable GOP figures, including the nod of Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio). 

Brown is one of two Democratic senators running for re-election in states that are reliably red in presidential elections. The other is Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

The party may need to win both states to hold on to the Senate majority next year.