Ohio’s U.S. Senator-elect Sherrod Brown could assume office about two weeks earlier than the rest of Ohio’s new congressional delegation. It may have no impact on proceedings, but with a narrow margin in the Senate, Republican leaders could face some difficult math in the final few days of the current session.

Gov. Mike DeWine appointed the seat’s current occupant, Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, to fill the vacancy left when then-U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance became vice president. That promotion came with a daunting road ahead. Because there was so much time left in Vance’s term, Husted would have to run in 2026 to keep the seat, and then again in 2028 if he wanted to be reelected to a new term.

In the end, he wasn’t able to fend off Ohio’s once and future U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, who will now represent Ohio through the end of Vance’s original term in office. If he wants to keep the seat, he’ll have to run in 2028 as well.

“We will fight to end the tariffs, end this war, and lower costs so that working families don’t have to pay for this corruption in Washington,” Brown said in a statement. “My pledge to all Ohioans — whether they voted for me or not — is that I will always be on their side.”

Husted’s term ends Dec. 15 under state law. The Capital Journal reached out to Husted’s office about his priorities for the lame duck session, and the prospect of Brown finishing out the term in his place, but got no response.

So far as the U.S. Senate is concerned, Brown can be sworn in once he presents credentials signed by the governor and secretary of state. The official canvass in Ohio is Nov. 24, and election certification happens by Dec. 4. So, technically Brown could take over even before the statutory expiration of Husted’s term.

But that’s not going to happen. In an email, Ohio Secretary of State spokesman Dan Lusheck said Secretary of State Frank LaRose “will follow the law, which requires Senator Husted to fulfill his full term.”

Even if Brown has to wait until mid-December to take office, his presence could have a significant impact.

What’s ahead?

Republicans currently hold a 53-seat majority, and that already narrow margin shrinks once Husted leaves office.

“If we were talking about a 10-seat majority that Republicans had, Sherrod Brown’s vote wouldn’t matter,” University of Akron political science professor David Cohen said, “But it’s such a close margin in the Senate, it absolutely could have an impact.”

The Senate calendar currently has lawmakers adjourning Dec.18, and there’s a lot they want to get to by then.

Particularly in the Senate, Republicans are running out of time to confirm judges and other executive appointments. They’ll likely want to advance as many as possible before they give up the gavel.

Congress is also grappling with a major energy permitting reform bill and a college sports overhaul. They’re hammering out a new farm bill — a five-year measure pairing funding for agricultural interests and food assistance — and the annual defense policy bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act.

And if that wasn’t enough, they’re facing a Dec. 11 federal funding cliff.

Political science professor David Niven, of the University of Cincinnati, agreed that Brown’s vote could be important.

“The Senate is close enough,” he said. “It could matter on appointment of judges and other vacancies.”

“It’s going to depend on what level of panic the administration is in,” Niven added, “how many judges they put (up for confirmation).”

No official announcement has been made about when Brown will be sworn in.

Reporter Susan Tebben contributed to this report.

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This story is republished from the Ohio Capital Journal under a Creative Commons license. View the original article.