Ohio · U.S. Senate special election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Where do the candidates stand on the economy and taxes?
Sherrod BrownDemocrat
Jon HustedRepublicanIncumbent
Part of the full Ohio U.S. Senate comparison · Last reviewed October 19, 2026
Economy & Taxes
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 lowering costs for Ohioans is his first priority and that the system is "rigged"; his official biography says he led opposition to NAFTA and CAFTA.
Show the evidence (2)Hide the evidence
- Public statement2026
In written answers to the Dayton Daily News voter guide, said his first priority will be to lower costs for Ohioans. At a Columbus campaign event he said Ohioans are hurting because the "system is rigged" while corporate profits and executive compensation have soared. 2 sourcesBrown, Husted make pitches on affordability, data centers and more in U.S. Senate race (opens in a new tab)Dayton Daily News · Oct. 15, 2026 · NewsOhio's Senate candidates discuss why they're running, their stances on issues (opens in a new tab)WCPO 9 News · Sept. 22, 2026 · News
- Past action
His official Senate biography says he led opposition to NAFTA in 1993, as a first-term House member, and to CAFTA in 2005. PolitiFact describes him as a longstanding free-trade skeptic who voted for his first trade deal in 2019. 2 sourcesSherrod Brown Biography (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs · GovernmentFact-checking Donald Trump, Jon Husted at Ohio rally on economy, Sherrod Brown's record (opens in a new tab)PolitiFact · Oct. 3, 2026 · News
- Public statement2026
In written answers to the Dayton Daily News voter guide, said his first priority will be to lower costs for Ohioans. At a Columbus campaign event he said Ohioans are hurting because the "system is rigged" while corporate profits and executive compensation have soared. 2 sourcesBrown, Husted make pitches on affordability, data centers and more in U.S. Senate race (opens in a new tab)Dayton Daily News · Oct. 15, 2026 · NewsOhio's Senate candidates discuss why they're running, their stances on issues (opens in a new tab)WCPO 9 News · Sept. 22, 2026 · News
- Past action
His official Senate biography says he led opposition to NAFTA in 1993, as a first-term House member, and to CAFTA in 2005. PolitiFact describes him as a longstanding free-trade skeptic who voted for his first trade deal in 2019. 2 sourcesSherrod Brown Biography (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs · GovernmentFact-checking Donald Trump, Jon Husted at Ohio rally on economy, Sherrod Brown's record (opens in a new tab)PolitiFact · Oct. 3, 2026 · News
Jon Husted
Says making life affordable means helping people earn more, keep more of what they earn and pay lower prices; voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Show the evidence (2)Hide the evidence
- Public statementOct. 16, 2026
Said in October 2026 that there are "three ways you help people make life more affordable": helping them earn more through jobs, letting them keep more of what they earn, and lowering prices. He credits what he called the "working family tax cut plan" with letting families keep more of what they earn, describing it as "no tax on tips, overtime or social security and a $2,200 per child tax credit," and has said he will seek trade agreements that protect workers and penalize unfair trade practices. 2 sourcesJon Husted campaigns to hold control of not just his Senate seat but Senate control for Republicans (opens in a new tab)News 5 Cleveland (WEWS) · Oct. 16, 2026 · NewsBrown, Husted make pitches on affordability, data centers and more in U.S. Senate race (opens in a new tab)Dayton Daily News · Oct. 15, 2026 · News
- Past actionJuly 1, 2025
Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), the 2025 budget reconciliation law that extended expiring tax rates, reduced taxes on tips and overtime, reduced federal Medicaid spending and increased the statutory debt limit. It passed the Senate on July 1, 2025, on a 50–50 vote with the vice president breaking the tie, and was signed into law July 4, 2025. 3 sourcesRoll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 372: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · July 1, 2025 · Legislative recordJon Husted (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · ReferenceAre nearly 500,000 Ohioans losing their healthcare because of Jon Husted? (opens in a new tab)PolitiFact · Oct. 9, 2026 · News
- Public statementOct. 16, 2026
Said in October 2026 that there are "three ways you help people make life more affordable": helping them earn more through jobs, letting them keep more of what they earn, and lowering prices. He credits what he called the "working family tax cut plan" with letting families keep more of what they earn, describing it as "no tax on tips, overtime or social security and a $2,200 per child tax credit," and has said he will seek trade agreements that protect workers and penalize unfair trade practices. 2 sourcesJon Husted campaigns to hold control of not just his Senate seat but Senate control for Republicans (opens in a new tab)News 5 Cleveland (WEWS) · Oct. 16, 2026 · NewsBrown, Husted make pitches on affordability, data centers and more in U.S. Senate race (opens in a new tab)Dayton Daily News · Oct. 15, 2026 · News
- Past actionJuly 1, 2025
Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), the 2025 budget reconciliation law that extended expiring tax rates, reduced taxes on tips and overtime, reduced federal Medicaid spending and increased the statutory debt limit. It passed the Senate on July 1, 2025, on a 50–50 vote with the vice president breaking the tie, and was signed into law July 4, 2025. 3 sourcesRoll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 372: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · July 1, 2025 · Legislative recordJon Husted (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · ReferenceAre nearly 500,000 Ohioans losing their healthcare because of Jon Husted? (opens in a new tab)PolitiFact · Oct. 9, 2026 · News
Recorded votes on the economy and taxes
Selected votes
Sherrod Brown
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319, 117th Congress)
EconomyCOVID-19 relief law that funded a national vaccination program and the reopening of schools, provided $1,400-per-person relief payments and extended unemployment benefits.
Passed the Senate 50–49 on March 6, 2021; signed into law March 11, 2021.
2 sourcesRoll Call Vote 117th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 110: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1319 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · March 6, 2021 · Legislative recordSherrod Brown (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · ReferenceVoted yesU.S. Senate · March 6, 2021
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1319
Senate roll call 110, 117th Congress (official record, opens in a new tab)SourceRoll Call Vote 117th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 110: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1319 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · March 6, 2021 · Legislative record
Jon Husted
One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 119th Congress)
EconomyBudget reconciliation law that changed federal tax policy, provided funding for various federal programs, reduced federal Medicaid spending and increased the statutory debt limit.
Passed the Senate July 1, 2025, by a 50–50 vote with the vice president voting Yea to break the tie; the House concurred in the Senate amendment 218–214 on July 3, 2025; signed into law July 4, 2025.
5 sourcesRoll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 372: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · July 1, 2025 · Legislative recordRoll Call 190: H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act, On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · July 3, 2025 · Legislative recordHealth Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law (R48633) (opens in a new tab)Congressional Research Service · GovernmentJon Husted (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia · ReferenceAre nearly 500,000 Ohioans losing their healthcare because of Jon Husted? (opens in a new tab)PolitiFact · Oct. 9, 2026 · NewsVoted yesU.S. Senate · July 1, 2025
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1
Senate roll call 372, 119th Congress (official record, opens in a new tab)SourceRoll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Number 372: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate · July 1, 2025 · Legislative record
In their own words
Statements
Sherrod Brown
Economic inequality
The system is, is rigged more than ever, where people are working harder than ever before. CEOs are making more money, profits are up. The average CEO makes 300 times what the average worker makes
Sherrod Brown · Answer on why he seeks public service, in a one-on-one interview with WCPO 9 News anchor Tanya O'Rourke near Cincinnati, published Sept. 22, 2026 · 2026
SourceOhio's Senate candidates discuss why they're running, their stances on issues (opens in a new tab)WCPO 9 News · Sept. 22, 2026 · News
Jon Husted
Cost of living
There are three ways you help people make life more affordable: one, you help them earn more by creating good jobs and opportunity. You let them keep more of what they earn to spend and save on their priorities, and then you lower the prices of the things that they need to live and thrive.
Jon Husted · Interview with News 5 Cleveland (WEWS) while campaigning, asked about voters' top concerns · Oct. 16, 2026
SourceJon Husted campaigns to hold control of not just his Senate seat but Senate control for Republicans (opens in a new tab)News 5 Cleveland (WEWS) · Oct. 16, 2026 · News
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