Through cutthroat commercials and advertisements that have saturated almost all outlets of media, Ohioans have witnessed from the sidelines a fierce competition for a U.S. Senate position.
This November, Sherrod Brown will fight to defend his coveted Senate seat against Republican Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel.
Brown, a Mansfield, Ohio, native, has held numerous positions prior to his seat representing Ohio in the U.S. Senate, including serving as the Ohio Secretary of State from 1983 to 1991, a representative to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1975 to 1982 and a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He has held his Senate seat since 2007.
Sadie Weiner, spokeswoman for Friends of Sherrod Brown, released statements from Brown in an email, saying he is “running for re-election to fight for every job, every day in every way I know how.” He plans to do this by building upon successes in manufacturing with the auto rescue, protecting American workers, making education more affordable, taking advantage of emerging industries like clean energy.
Brown is also working to protect access to the ballot box, particularly for students and minorities, as well as women’s rights for health care decisions and earning equal pay for equal work.
Brown was a strong proponent of the 2009 auto bailout.
“I’m proud to have led the charge to pass the auto rescue package, helping to protect nearly 850,000 Ohio jobs,” Brown said in the email statements. “My opponent doesn’t agree with the auto rescue, in fact, he said I was un-American for voting for it. He’s wrong, he knows it and I’d vote for it again in a heartbeat. Because of the auto rescue, plants across Ohio are thriving for the first time in years.”
But the auto industry is not the only sector of the economy Brown plans to focus on.  
“We must continue to rebuild our manufacturing sector, and that starts with leveling the playing field for American workers by standing up to China,” Brown stated in the email.
In 2011, Brown led the passage of the currency manipulation bill in the Senate. This bill would impose penalties, including possible tariffs, on nations that manipulate their currencies, namely China.
“I won’t stop fighting in Washington until my bill becomes law,” Brown stated in the email.
Brown is also fighting to make education more affordable for Ohio students.
“Education should be a right, not a privilege,” Brown stated in the email.
He has fought to increase federal funding for education and introduced legislation to prevent interest rates on federal Stafford Loans from doubling.
“My opponent had numerous opportunities to stand with me against hiking interest rates on student loans, but he refused to support my bill,” Brown stated in the email.
But despite Brown’s intentions, Drew Stroemple, president of Ohio State’s College Republicans, believes that Brown has already had his chance.
“The big issue is simply failed leadership,” Stroemple said. “When you’re senator, you have a responsibility to do a job. (Brown) hasn’t passed budget in three years. He simply goes to Washington and plays by (his) own rules. If we want things to be different, we need a different person in there.”
According to a Sept. 12 poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, Brown leads Mandel 49 percent to 41 percent, with 7 percent undecided and 3 percent preferring another candidate.