Ohio · U.S. Senate special election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Where do the candidates stand on abortion and reproductive rights?
Sherrod BrownDemocrat
Jon HustedRepublicanIncumbent
Part of the full Ohio U.S. Senate comparison · Last reviewed October 19, 2026
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Each position is labeled by what it rests on: a campaign proposal, a public statement, a past action such as a vote or lawsuit, or an enacted policy. Where nothing is documented, the page says so.
Documented positions
Sherrod Brown
Says he voted for Ohio's 2023 Issue 1 abortion amendment, saying a woman and her doctor should decide; voted to advance the Women's Health Protection Act in 2022.
Show the evidence (2)Hide the evidence
- Public statementOct. 2023
Said in October 2023 that he and his wife had voted "yes" on Issue 1, the 2023 constitutional amendment on the right to make reproductive decisions, including abortion, which voters approved; he said "this healthcare decision should be made by a woman and her doctor." 2 sourcesSherrod Brown takes stance on Issue 2 while JD Vance remains silent ahead of Election Day (opens in a new tab)WOSU Public Media · Oct. 30, 2023 · NewsSherrod Brown (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · Reference
- Past actionMay 11, 2022
Voted Yea on cloture on the motion to proceed to the Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) on Feb. 28, 2022, and on cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 4132, a Senate bill with the same official description, on May 11, 2022. Both bills would protect a person's ability to decide whether to continue or end a pregnancy and a provider's ability to provide abortion services; both motions were rejected, 46–48 and 49–51. 3 sourcesRoll Call Vote 117th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 65: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed H.R. 3755 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Feb. 28, 2022 · Legislative recordRoll Call Vote 117th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 170: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 4132 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · May 11, 2022 · Legislative recordSherrod Brown (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · Reference
- Public statementOct. 2023
Said in October 2023 that he and his wife had voted "yes" on Issue 1, the 2023 constitutional amendment on the right to make reproductive decisions, including abortion, which voters approved; he said "this healthcare decision should be made by a woman and her doctor." 2 sourcesSherrod Brown takes stance on Issue 2 while JD Vance remains silent ahead of Election Day (opens in a new tab)WOSU Public Media · Oct. 30, 2023 · NewsSherrod Brown (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · Reference
- Past actionMay 11, 2022
Voted Yea on cloture on the motion to proceed to the Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) on Feb. 28, 2022, and on cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 4132, a Senate bill with the same official description, on May 11, 2022. Both bills would protect a person's ability to decide whether to continue or end a pregnancy and a provider's ability to provide abortion services; both motions were rejected, 46–48 and 49–51. 3 sourcesRoll Call Vote 117th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 65: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed H.R. 3755 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Feb. 28, 2022 · Legislative recordRoll Call Vote 117th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 170: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 4132 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · May 11, 2022 · Legislative recordSherrod Brown (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · Reference
Jon Husted
Opposed Ohio's 2023 Issue 1 abortion amendment, voted to advance S. 6 on care for infants born alive after an abortion attempt, and has argued for in-person dispensing of mifepristone.
Show the evidence (2)Hide the evidence
- Past actionJan. 22, 2025
Voted for cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 6, a bill to prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care for a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion; the motion failed 52–47 under a 60-vote threshold. SourceRoll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 11: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 6 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Jan. 22, 2025 · Legislative record
- Public statementJan. 2026
At a January 2026 Senate HELP Committee hearing on mifepristone, described two cases of men allegedly giving women the drug without their consent and said "requiring an in-person visit before dispensing the drug would stop this." Ballotpedia lists him as an opponent of Ohio's 2023 Issue 1, the constitutional amendment on the right to make reproductive decisions, including abortion, which voters approved; his campaign calls him a "Champion for life." 4 sourcesSenate Hearing on Abortion Drugs (Senate HELP Committee hearing on mifepristone, transcript) (opens in a new tab)Rev · Jan. 15, 2026 · Transcript or videoJon Husted (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · ReferenceMeet Senator Jon Husted (opens in a new tab)Husted for Senate · CampaignSherrod Brown takes stance on Issue 2 while JD Vance remains silent ahead of Election Day (opens in a new tab)WOSU Public Media · Oct. 30, 2023 · News
- Past actionJan. 22, 2025
Voted for cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 6, a bill to prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care for a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion; the motion failed 52–47 under a 60-vote threshold. SourceRoll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 11: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 6 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Jan. 22, 2025 · Legislative record
- Public statementJan. 2026
At a January 2026 Senate HELP Committee hearing on mifepristone, described two cases of men allegedly giving women the drug without their consent and said "requiring an in-person visit before dispensing the drug would stop this." Ballotpedia lists him as an opponent of Ohio's 2023 Issue 1, the constitutional amendment on the right to make reproductive decisions, including abortion, which voters approved; his campaign calls him a "Champion for life." 4 sourcesSenate Hearing on Abortion Drugs (Senate HELP Committee hearing on mifepristone, transcript) (opens in a new tab)Rev · Jan. 15, 2026 · Transcript or videoJon Husted (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · ReferenceMeet Senator Jon Husted (opens in a new tab)Husted for Senate · CampaignSherrod Brown takes stance on Issue 2 while JD Vance remains silent ahead of Election Day (opens in a new tab)WOSU Public Media · Oct. 30, 2023 · News
Recorded votes on abortion and reproductive rights
Selected votes
Sherrod Brown
Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 117th Congress)
AbortionWould protect a person's ability to decide whether to continue or end a pregnancy and a health care provider's ability to provide abortion services, prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services.
Cloture on the motion to proceed was rejected 46–48 on Feb. 28, 2022 (60 votes required); the bill did not advance in the Senate.
2 sourcesRoll Call Vote 117th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 65: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed H.R. 3755 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Feb. 28, 2022 · Legislative recordSherrod Brown (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · ReferenceVoted yesU.S. Senate · Feb. 28, 2022
On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed H.R. 3755
Senate roll call 65, 117th Congress (official record, opens in a new tab)SourceRoll Call Vote 117th Congress - 2nd Session, Vote Number 65: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed H.R. 3755 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Feb. 28, 2022 · Legislative record
Jon Husted
S. 6 (119th Congress), a bill to prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion
AbortionWould amend title 18 of the U.S. Code to prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion.
Cloture on the motion to proceed was rejected 52–47 on Jan. 22, 2025 (60 votes required).
SourceRoll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 11: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 6 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Jan. 22, 2025 · Legislative recordVoted yesU.S. Senate · Jan. 22, 2025
On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 6
Senate roll call 11, 119th Congress (official record, opens in a new tab)SourceRoll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 11: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 6 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · Jan. 22, 2025 · Legislative record
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