The 2018 United States Senate election in Ohio took place on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was February 7, 2018; the primary election was held on May 8, 2018. Incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown—the only remaining elected Democratic statewide officeholder in Ohio at the time of the election—won his bid for a third term, defeating Republican U.S. Representative Jim Renacci by a 6.82% margin in the general election, larger than the 6% margin in the election six years earlier. That was despite Republicans winning all statewide executive offices on the same ballot, and was one of ten Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state won by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Renacci conceded defeat on November 7, 2018.
With Republican Mike DeWine winning the concurrent gubernatorial election, this was the first time since 1974 that Ohio simultaneously voted for a gubernatorial nominee and a U.S. Senate nominee of opposite parties. As of , this is the last time the Democratic Party won a partisan statewide race in Ohio.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Sherrod Brown, incumbent U.S. senator
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jim Renacci, U.S. representative
Eliminated in primary Melissa Ackison, businesswoman Don Elijah Eckhart, candidate for the Republican nomination in 2016 Mike Gibbons, investment banker (founder of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company) Dennis Jones Dan Kiley
Withdrawn Josh Mandel, Ohio State Treasurer and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012
Declined Ken Blackwell, former mayor of Cincinnati, former Ohio State Treasurer, and former Ohio Secretary of State Rick Jones, Butler County sheriff John Kasich, governor of Ohio, former U.S. representative Mary Taylor, lieutenant governor of Ohio (ran for governor) Pat Tiberi, U.S. representative Jim Tressel, president of Youngstown State University and former Ohio State football coach JD Vance, author and venture capitalist
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MelissaAckison DonEckhart MikeGibbons DanKiley JimRenacci UndecidedBaldwin Wallace University April 24 – May 2, 2018 323 – 4% 1% 11% 4% 25% 55%Fallon Research April 4–7, 2018 502 ± 4.4% 3% 2% 7% 1% 21% 65%OnMessage (R-Renacci) March 20, 2018 – – 3% 3% 8% 3% 36% 47%SurveyUSA March 16–20, 2018 541 ± 5.7% 5% 5% 10% 1% 21% 58%
with Josh Mandel Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MelissaAckison MichaelGibbons JoshMandel UndecidedRemington Research Group (R-Mandel) September 26–28, 2017 1,268 ± 2.8% 5% 5% 50% 40%
with Matt Huffman Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MattHuffman JoshMandel UndecidedClub for Growth December 11–12, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 8% 62% 30%
with Pat Tiberi Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JoshMandel PatTiberi UndecidedClub for Growth December 11–12, 2016 600 ± ?% 60% 12% 27%
Results
General election Candidates Sherrod Brown (D) Stephen Faris (I, write-in) Philena Irene Farley (G, write-in) Bruce Jaynes (L, write-in) Jim Renacci (R)
Debates Complete video of debate, October 14, 2018 Complete video of debate, October 20, 2018 Complete video of debate, October 26, 2018
Endorsements
Predictions Source Ranking As ofThe Cook Political Report October 26, 2018Inside Elections November 1, 2018 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 5, 2018Fox News November 5, 2018CNN November 5, 2018RealClearPolitics November 5, 2018FiveThirtyEightNovember 6, 2018
Polling
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SherrodBrown (D) JimRenacci (R) Other UndecidedChange Research November 2–4, 2018 923 – 53% 43% – –Research Co. November 1–3, 2018 450 ± 4.6% 53% 39% – 8%Cygnal (R) October 30–31, 2018 503 ± 4.4% 52% 42% – 6%Gravis Marketing October 29–30, 2018 789 ± 3.5% 46% 37% – 17%Emerson College October 26–28, 2018 566 ± 4.3% 49% 43% 2%Stephen Faris (write-in) with 2% 6%Baldwin Wallace UniversityBaldwin Wallace University October 19–27, 2018 1,051 ± 3.8% 51% 32% – 17%Suffolk University October 4–8, 2018 500 ± 4.4% 54% 36% 0%Stephen Faris (write-in) with 0% 10%Baldwin Wallace UniversityBaldwin Wallace University September 8 – October 8, 2018 1,017 ± 3.5% 50% 33% – 18%University of Akron September 10 – October 4, 2018 1,000 ± 3.0% 43% 31% – 26%Ipsos September 13–21, 2018 1,074 ± 3.0% 50% 39% 2% 9%Triton Polling & Research (R) September 18–20, 2018 1,003 ± 3.1% 53% 42% – 5%NBC News/MaristNBC News/Marist September 16–20, 2018 564 LV ± 5.0% 49% 35% 7%Bruce Jaynes (L, write-in) with 4%, Philena Farley (G, write-in) with 2%, other with 1% 8% 52% 39% 1% 7% 796 RV ± 4.2% 49% 33% 10%Bruce Jaynes (L, write-in) with 6%, Philena Farley (G, write-in) with 3%, other with 1% 9% 52% 39% 1% 8%Baldwin Wallace UniversityBaldwin Wallace University September 5–15, 2018 1,048 ± 3.6% 49% 32% – 19%Morning Consult September 2–11, 2018 1,592 ± 2.0% 47% 31% – 22%Change Research (D-Innovation Ohio) August 31 – September 4, 2018 822 ± 3.0% 46% 42% – 12%TRZ Communications (R-WTPC) June 30 – July 10, 2018 1,485 ± 3.0% 45% 41% – 14%SurveyMonkey/AxiosSurveyMonkey/Axios June 11 – July 2, 2018 951 ± 5.0% 52% 44% – 4%NBC News/MaristNBC News/Marist June 17–22, 2018 778 ± 4.4% 51% 38% 1% 10%Quinnipiac UniversityQuinnipiac University June 7–12, 2018 1,082 ± 3.7% 51% 34% 1% 12%Suffolk University June 6–11, 2018 500 ± 4.4% 53% 37% 2% 8%America First Action (R) May 29–31, 2018 400 ± 4.9% 45% 41% – 10%Fallon Research May 21–25, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 48% 34% 3%Philena Farley (G, write-in) 3% 15%Grassroots Targeting (R-Ohio First) April 2018 1,266 – 41% 40% – 19%SurveyUSA March 16–20, 2018 1,408 ± 3.5% 52% 38% – 11%Baldwin Wallace University February 28 – March 9, 2018 1,011 ± 3.0% 41% 29% – 30%SurveyMonkey/Axios February 12 – March 5, 2018 1,995 ± 3.6% 50% 45% – 5%Grassroots Targeting (R-Ohio First) February 2018 – – 43% 38% – 19%
with Mike Gibbons Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SherrodBrown (D) MikeGibbons (R) UndecidedSurveyUSA March 16–20, 2018 1,408 ± 3.5% 52% 38% 10%Baldwin Wallace University February 28 – March 9, 2018 1,011 ± 3.0% 41% 31% 28% with Melissa Ackison Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SherrodBrown (D) MelissaAckison (R) UndecidedSurveyUSA March 16–20, 2018 1,408 ± 3.5% 52% 37% 11%
with Don Eckhart Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SherrodBrown (D) DonEckhart (R) UndecidedSurveyUSA March 16–20, 2018 1,408 ± 3.5% 53% 37% 10%
with Dan Kiley Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SherrodBrown (D) DanKiley (R) UndecidedSurveyUSA March 16–20, 2018 1,408 ± 3.5% 52% 37% 11%
with Pat Tiberi Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SherrodBrown (D) PatTiberi (R) UndecidedGravis Marketing April 27 – May 2, 2017 1,352 ± 2.7% 43% 41% 16% with Josh Mandel Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SherrodBrown (D) JoshMandel (R) UndecidedLuntz Global June 12, 2017 500 ± 4.4% 53% 34% 13%Gravis Marketing April 27 – May 2, 2017 1,352 ± 2.7% 42% 45% 13%WPA Opinion Research (R) November 29 – December 1, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 39% 40% 21%Public Policy Polling July 22–24, 2016 1,334 ± 2.7% 45% 36% 18%Public Policy Polling April 26–27, 2016 799 ± 3.2% 47% 33% 21%
Results
By county