Ray Marcano, a longtime journalist, is the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright fellow. He is a frequent Columbus Dispatch contributor.
Reports say former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown will challenge Sen. Jon Husted for his Senate seat in 2026.
That’s great news for Democrats because Brown’s mix of moderate and liberal views will play well in a state that President Donald Trump won by more than 11 points last year.
But there’s a bonus to Brown running.
He can help save the Democrats from themselves.
Brown’s authentic, everyman persona has always been centered on common sense. He’s widely viewed as a populist with a mix of moderate and liberal views, and that’s what the party needs.
The esteemed historian Jon Meacham wrote, back in 2008, that America is a center-right country that likes the status quo. “History suggests America is more likely to tack toward the familiar on big questions of politics and culture than it is to enthusiastically embrace radical change.”
Here we are, 18 years and five election cycles later, and Democrats still haven’t learned.
They’ve hitched their political wagon to far-left causes, like all-gender bathrooms, that are far out of the mainstream.
Republicans smartly picked up on the disconnect between the public and the Democrats and successfully labeled the party “the radical left.”
Brown isn’t a radical, not by a long shot.
For example, he voted for the bipartisan border bill that increased border security, but the bill collapsed after then-candidate Trump opposed it.
Brown’s centrist position — more resources to the border while helping people already here called “dreamers” — is more mainstream than Trump’s, who’s now deporting moms and dads with criminals.
Brown’s a big believer in making health care and prescription drugs more affordable and a supporter of public education. But his biggest advantage rests with his continued advocacy of working people.
Don’t count Brown out
When he lost the election, he charged forward and started the Dignity for Work Institute, which seeks policies to create and maintain a strong middle class.
Critics and skeptics will dismiss a Brown comeback, noting he lost his Senate seat in 2024 to Bernie Moreno, a Republican who had President Trump’s backing. But Brown’s loss had more to do with the state of the Democrats than it did with him.
First, President Joe Biden put on a bumbling and mumbling debate performance, forcing him to drop out of the race against Donald Trump.
Then Dems anointed the untested and unprepared Kamala Harris, who made an uninspiring VP choice and had trouble finding a message that appealed to voters. She got trounced in the general election and took the party with her.
While Trump won Ohio by 11.3 points (55.2 to 43.9), Moreno only won by 3.8 points (50.2 to 46.4). Even with all of the headwinds against the Democrats, Brown came close.
Learning from Brown
By running, Brown can show national Democrats how the party can regain its footing. It’s not through far-left causes, but by focusing on the issues working people care about.
They want good jobs so they can take care of their family. They don’t want to see their hardworking neighbors who have been in the country for years deported. They want an education for their children and reasonably priced health care.
Brown excels at all of those issues.
Yes, he’s running for Senate. More importantly, he’s come back on the political stage at a time Democrats need his pragmatic approach.
The party needs to emulate Brown, his demeanor, his positions and how he connects with voters.
He’s their best hope at getting Democrats to focus on positions people care about. He’s the best hope at saving the party.
Ray Marcano, a longtime journalist, is the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright fellow. He is a frequent Columbus Dispatch contributor.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Critics be damned: Sherrod Brown could be Democrats’ wake-up call. | Opinion
Reporting by Ray Marcano / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
