Are You the Incumbent?

“Republican senators vying for re-election this year have had to contend with a cratering economy and an unpopular president. Senator Jon Husted of Ohio appears to have an additional challenge: Even some the state’s most devoted conservatives don’t know who he is,” the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Husted’s Democratic opponent is Sherrod Brown, a fixture in Ohio politics since the 1970s, who lost his Senate seat two years ago. Mr. Brown’s renown has become something of a liability for the sitting senator, who needs the state’s MAGA-friendly Republican base to care enough about the seat to vote in a year when President Trump is not on the ballot.”

“But being perceived as the challenger may also benefit Mr. Husted at a moment when voters are struggling economically and don’t think Congress has done enough to help. With polls showing Mr. Brown and Mr. Husted in a tightening race, the Republican’s campaign has leaned into the misconception, spending millions of dollars on ads that refer to his opponent as ‘Senator Sherrod Brown.'”