Ohio Dem Tries to Pin Shutdown on GOP Opponent Who Voted to Fund Government 16 Times

After weeks of noncommittal responses during the nation’s longest federal government shutdown, former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who is now looking to unseat Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has proclaimed the deal to end the government shutdown is “a bad deal for Ohioans.”

Brown took to X to express his displeasure with his fellow Democrats: “Half a million Ohioans are facing monthly premiums that are double or triple what they were paying. This is a bad deal for Ohioans. It does nothing to help the out-of-control costs people are facing. We can’t allow health care costs to skyrocket and not be willing to fight.”

Senate Democrats had refused to support measures that would reopen the government for more than 40 days until, on Sunday night, enough Senate Democrat Caucus members struck a deal with Senate Republicans to advance legislation that could reopen the government.

Brown is seeking a comeback bid after losing last November to now Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno.

Currently, Husted has a small lead over Brown in the polls, according to RealClearPolling. The race is considered to “Lean Republican,” but these rankings shifted once Brown was reportedly said to be entering the race.

Though Democrats repeatedly refused to provide the votes to reopen government, Brown pinned the blame on Husted. “This is a problem created by Jon Husted and his special interest friends. At any point over the last 40 days, Jon Husted could have voted to reopen the government and helped people afford health care. But Jon Husted has done nothing to keep health care costs down.”

Husted, however, has voted in favor of reopening the government 16 times over the course of the shutdown, with the final two votes successfully advancing and passing the measure.

The Brown campaign was unable to provide The Daily Signal with further comment.

Brown’s suggestion that voting to reopen the government would be a bad deal for Ohioans did not go unnoticed. Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou wrote on X that Brown “would be voting NO” if in the Senate.

While Brown and Democrats have focused their messaging on health care, Husted has been among those critiquing Democrat policies and proposals, such as Democrat efforts to provide taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants.