The 2006 United States Senate election in Ohio was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican Mike DeWine ran for re-election, but was defeated by Democratic congressman Sherrod Brown. As of , this is the most recent time a Democratic Senate candidate in Ohio won a race by double digits. Following his defeat, DeWine would later successfully run for attorney general in 2010 and 2014 and governor of Ohio in 2018 and 2022.
Background
The incumbent Republican Senator R. Michael DeWine had approval ratings at 38%, making him the second most unpopular U.S. Senator behind Pennsylvania Republican Rick Santorum, who was also up for reelection in 2006. Pre-election stories in the U.S. media suggested that the national Republican Party may have given up on saving Senator DeWine's Senate seat before election day. Sherrod Brown, former Ohio Secretary of State and U.S. Representative from Ohio's 13th district, easily won the Democratic nomination over Merrill Keiser Jr.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
Sherrod Brown, U.S. Representative from Lorain
Merrill Keiser Jr., trucking business owner/operator and Vietnam War veteran
Withdrew
Paul Hackett, Iraq War veteran
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Mike DeWine, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1995
David Smith, candidate for U.S. Representative from Ohio's 2nd congressional district in 2005 William G. Pierce, engineer
Campaign
Both candidates campaigned as conservative alternatives to DeWine, citing DeWine's support for gun control measures and his role as one of the Republican members of the Gang of 14 which was a group of Republicans who compromised with Democrats in a dispute about judicial appointments.
Results
General election
Candidates
Sherrod Brown, U.S. Representative from Lorain (Democratic) Mike DeWine, incumbent Senator since 1995 (Republican) Richard Duncan (Independent)
Campaign
The Republican Party, which was facing multiple challenges to their Senate majority, was initially determined to assist DeWine in his competitive race while the National Democratic party supported Brown in hopes of taking control of the Senate. John McClelland, a spokesman for the Ohio Republican Party said, "It's vitally important to the Republican Party as a whole, so I think that's why you see the president coming to Ohio to support Mike DeWine." Phil Singer, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said, "Mike DeWine Senior is in for the fight of his life, make no mistake about it."
On July 14, 2006, DeWine's campaign began airing TV commercials depicting a smoking World Trade Center. "The senator was notified... by a reporter at U.S. News & World Report that the image of the burning Twin Towers could not have depicted the actual event because the smoke was blowing the wrong way." DeWine's campaign admitted that the video was actually a still photo of the World Trade Center with smoke digitally added. He also was criticized for using an emotionally charged image to attack his challenger.
Another of DeWine's ads suggested that opponent Sherrod Brown didn't pay his taxes for thirteen years. This claim led to the Associated Press reporting on October 19 that, "Several Ohio television stations have stopped airing a Republican ad because state documents contradict the ad's accusation that Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown didn't pay an unemployment tax bill for 13 years." Brown produced a commercial citing these facts. DeWine's ads were changed to state only that he had failed to pay his unemployment taxes until legal action was taken against him.
On October 16, 2006, The New York Times reported that top national Republicans were moving resources away from the Ohio Senate race, as they had determined that DeWine was likely to lose and were seeking to spend money on races where Republican candidates were seen as having a better chance of winning.
Debates
Complete video of debate, October 1, 2006
Complete video of debate, October 13, 2006
Complete video of debate, October 19, 2006
Complete video of debate, October 27, 2006
Fundraising
During the election cycle, DeWine raised $14.9 million and spent $15.5 million. Brown raised $8.9 million and spent $10.8 million.