Republican · Ohio Senate special · 2026
Jon Husted
Husted began life in foster care before Jim and Judy Husted adopted him and raised him in northwest Ohio.
Biography
Jon Husted began life in foster care before Jim and Judy Husted adopted him and raised him in northwest Ohio.1 The oldest of three children, he grew up in Williams County and attended Montpelier High School.1 He and his wife, Tina, raised three children of their own and became grandparents in 2023.1
At the University of Dayton, Husted earned bachelor's and master's degrees and played defensive back on the 1989 Division III national championship football team.1 Before elected office, he worked in economic development for the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.1 His state career included the House speakership, state Senate, secretary of state's office and lieutenant governorship before his Senate appointment in January 2025.1
As lieutenant governor, he championed TechCred, a program helping workers obtain credentials for skilled jobs.1 In the Senate, he introduced the Upward Mobility Act, a proposal for state pilot programs aimed at preventing sudden benefit losses when workers' earnings increase.23
Husted voted for the 2025 Republican tax and spending law, including its Medicaid reductions and extension of tax cuts.4 He supports stronger border enforcement, private school scholarships and federal voter identification requirements.4 Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is challenging him in the November special election, with their differences over healthcare, wages and federal spending central to the contest.4
Record and controversies
FirstEnergy bailout and campaign claims
As lieutenant governor, Husted backed the 2019 nuclear plant bailout law; FirstEnergy financially supported outside groups backing his and Mike DeWine's campaigns.5 FactCheck.org's September review found that campaign ads wrongly implied Husted had been accused or charged with accepting bribes in the criminal case, whose defendants were other officials and executives.5 His campaign said his support concerned saving nuclear plants and limiting energy costs, and that he was unaware of the corrupt conduct.5