Brown, 73, won one of the year's most combative and expensive Senate races, NBC News reports. The projections are based on unofficial results. Husted is 59.

Husted was appointed to the seat by Republican Governor Mike DeWine in January 2025 after Vance left to become vice president, Fox News reports.

Brown served in the Senate from 2007 until 2025, when Republican Bernie Moreno beat him, Fox says. Trump carried Ohio by 11 percentage points in 2024.

The race mirrored a national climate that exposed Republican weak spots on the war with Iran, rising gas prices and the cost of living, NBC reports.

Worries over data centers for AI companies hit hard in Ohio, NBC says. Husted had backed data centers as lieutenant governor, and Brown and Democrats attacked him over it.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee warned in an August memo that the issue could doom Husted, NBC reports.

Brown ran on his record on manufacturing, labor, trade and consumer protections, Fox reports. Husted said Brown would be a reliable vote for Senate Democrats and national party leaders, Fox says.

Brown faced scrutiny over his 50 years in public office, with Republicans casting him as a career politician, NBC says.

The timing of Brown's return depends on when Ohio certifies the result, Fox reports. He could be sworn in during the lame-duck session, changing the Senate's voting math before the new Congress meets.

What we know: NBC News and Fox News project that Brown has won, based on unofficial results.
What we don't: When Brown will be sworn in.