Former Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown has told Democratic allies that he intends to run for Senate next year, two people familiar with his plans told CNN, and is soon poised to launch a 2026 campaign aimed at vindicating his defeat two years ago after three decades in Congress.

The decision to run for Senate, which Brown had quietly considered for months, adds another layer of intrigue to the Democratic Party’s uphill fight to win control of the Senate. Yet his candidacy is far from a winning bet, considering the rising GOP strength in Ohio, where Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to the job earlier this year, faces reelection.

Brown is making good on the promise he made in his farewell speech on the Senate floor in December 2024, declaring: “It’s not, I promise you, the last time y

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