Sherrod Brown is trying to win back the working-class voters who twice rejected him, and the Ohio AFL-CIO is giving him a stage to do it. The Democratic senator addressed union members including steelworkers, utility workers, construction workers, and others at the group’s biennial gathering in Painesville, Ohio, as he seeks to reclaim a U.S. Senate seat from Republican Jon Husted.
Brown lost to Husted two years ago, but he won re-election to a third Senate term in 2018 despite Ohio’s shift to the right. Now he faces a tighter race in a state where the president’s hold runs deep.
Brown’s Pitch to Unions
Brown is making a direct appeal to union households, which voted heavily for Trump in 2016. That year, Trump won 54% of such households while Clinton won just 41%.
Dave Janiszewski, a retired steel and paper plant worker, is volunteering for Brown’s campaign, knocking on doors and spreading the message that Brown fights for workers. His endorsement is part of a broader push to reconnect with a base that has drifted toward the GOP.
The senator argues that Husted is only looking out for Wall Street, drug companies, and tech firms benefiting from tax breaks the Republican championed as lieutenant governor. He is asking union members to weigh loyalty to their own interests against loyalty to the party that has represented them for decades.
The Union Divide
Not everyone agrees with Brown’s reading of the situation. Dorsey Hager of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council says many members voted for Trump and down-ballot Republicans in 2016 and 2024.
The building trades councils in Cleveland and Toledo have endorsed Husted, calling him a “friend and advocate” for construction workers. The Boilermakers union is also backing Husted, citing his support for union jobs in power plants, refineries, and shipbuilding.
| Group | Endorsement | Reason Given |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland and Toledo building trades councils | Husted | “Friend and advocate” for construction workers |
| Boilermakers | Husted | Support for union jobs in power plants, refineries, and shipbuilding |
The endorsements from Cleveland and Toledo building trades councils and the Boilermakers stand apart from the AFL-CIO’s broader leadership, which remains loyal to Brown.
The Race’s Stakes
The outcome could determine control of the Senate for Trump’s final two years in office. Early voting begins Oct. 6.
Brown lost to Bernie Moreno by less than 4 percentage points in 2024, while Trump defeated Kamala Harris by over 11 percentage points at the top of the ticket. That margin shows how closely the state’s political fortunes are tied to the president’s popularity.
Lake County Republican commissioner John Plecnik argues that union members will choose Husted because he supports Trump and cites improved border security under the current administration.
What This Means for Workers
The race is a test of whether unions prioritize their members’ economic interests or their political identity. Brown is betting that workers will respond to a candidate who claims to fight for them. Husted is betting that workers will respond to a candidate who aligns with the president they voted for in 2016 and 2024.
The AFL-CIO’s decision to host Brown reflects the union movement’s willingness to provide him a platform. Whether that helps him win depends on whether Brown can deliver on his promise to fight for workers.
The stakes are high for both parties, but the question is not abstract. It is about who gets to speak for the people who build the country’s infrastructure and operate its factories.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs the unions’ biennial gathering as a legitimate platform for candidates to make their case to working-class voters, and is against treating politics as a horse race between two machines that both gather power. The AFL-CIO hosting Brown gives him a chance to reach a base that has moved away from the Democratic Party in recent elections.
This is a moment for workers to hear from candidates directly, and the paper is glad the AFL-CIO has chosen to let Brown address them. The endorsements from Cleveland and Toledo building trades councils and the Boilermakers show that some unions disagree with the AFL-CIO leadership and back Husted instead.
The race tests whether unions put their members’ pay and conditions first or their political identity first. Brown is betting workers want someone who fights for them; Husted is betting they want someone aligned with the president they voted for in 2016 and 2024.
Source material: “The U.S. Senate is up for grabs. Can this Ohio Democrat win back working class votes?,” NPR.
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