The 2006 Ohio Senate race saw an incumbent collapse under national scrutiny and controversy
In short: When Mike DeWine faced Sherrod Brown in 2006, the Republican incumbent was already struggling with a 38% approval rating. As national support evaporated, his campaign resorted to controversial digital imagery and disputed tax claims, ultimately leading to a decisive defeat that shifted the political landscape of Ohio for years.
The 2006 United States Senate election in Ohio, held on November 7, marked a significant turning point for incumbent Republican Mike DeWine. Having served in the Senate since 1995, DeWine entered the cycle as the second most unpopular U.S. senator, trailing only Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum. His vulnerability stemmed from his moderate record, including support for gun control and his participation in the Gang of 14, a bipartisan group that compromised on judicial appointments. This record alienated some conservative voters, leading to primary challenges from candidates like Merrill Keiser Jr.
As the campaign progressed, the DeWine team faced intense scrutiny for its aggressive advertising tactics. In July 2006, the campaign aired a commercial featuring a digitally altered image of the burning World Trade Center, which was criticized for using an emotionally charged event to attack his opponent. Later, the campaign claimed that Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown had failed to pay unemployment taxes for thirteen years. The Associated Press reported that several Ohio television stations pulled the ad after state documents contradicted the accusation. By mid-October, The New York Times reported that national Republican leadership had begun diverting resources away from Ohio, signaling they had effectively abandoned the race.
On election night, Sherrod Brown was declared the winner as soon as polls closed at 7:30. Brown secured victory by winning most eastern Ohio counties and performing well in heavily populated areas, while DeWine's narrow 2,000-vote win in Hamilton County proved insufficient. Despite DeWine raising $14.9 million compared to Brown's $8.9 million, the incumbent suffered the second-worst performance of any Republican senator that year. This election remains notable as the last time a Democratic Senate candidate in Ohio won by double digits, and it stood as the final instance of an incumbent senator losing reelection in the state until Brown himself was defeated in 2024.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2006 United States Senate election in Ohio
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