AFP launches $1.75 million ad campaign backing Husted after poll shows Brown leading

A major conservative advocacy organization is launching a $1.75 million advertising campaign supporting U.S. Sen. Jon Husted days after a Fox News poll showed former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown leading Ohio’s special Senate race.

Americans for Prosperity Action said the new advertising campaign will focus heavily on affordability, energy costs, and economic opportunity, issues that featured prominently in last week’s Fox News survey of Ohio voters.

The organization is spending approximately $1 million on broadcast and cable television advertising and another $750,000 on digital and streaming platforms.

The campaign comes days after a Fox News poll found Brown leading Husted 53% to 45% in Ohio’s special U.S. Senate election despite the state’s recent history of supporting Republican candidates.

The survey drew attention because it showed Brown leading in a state Republicans have dominated in recent election cycles. Trump carried Ohio by more than 11 percentage points in 2024, and Republicans control both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly as well as nearly every statewide executive office.

The survey, released June 4, showed Brown benefiting from strong Democratic unity and support from some Republican voters. Brown received support from 98% of Democrats and 31% of non-MAGA Republicans, according to the poll.

The race will determine who completes the remainder of the Senate term vacated when JD Vance became vice president. Brown is seeking a return to the Senate after losing his seat to Republican Bernie Moreno in 2024. Husted was appointed to the seat by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in January 2025.

“Ohio families are looking for leaders who understand the challenges they face every day and have a proven record of delivering results,” AFP Action Ohio Senior Advisor Donovan O’Neil said in a statement announcing the campaign.

O’Neil said Husted has spent his career advancing policies designed to expand economic opportunity and help families manage rising costs.

AFP Action said it expects the campaign to reach roughly 1.75 million Ohio voters before the ads conclude at the end of June.

One advertisement argues Brown supported policies that contributed to higher costs for Ohio families, while another promotes Husted’s record in state government and his support for tax relief and regulatory reform.

The campaign’s emphasis on affordability mirrors findings from the recent Fox News survey. The poll found inflation was the most important issue for Ohio voters, with 43% identifying it as the top factor influencing their Senate vote. Healthcare ranked second at 12%, followed by immigration and border security at 11%.

“What everything comes back to is affordability and making sure families—working families, in particular, in a blue-collar state like Ohio—have somebody fighting for them in Washington,” O’Neil told The Daily Signal.

O’Neil also argued voters want a clearer contrast between the candidates heading into November.

“They want to know that the person they’re voting for has affordability at the top of mind,” O’Neil said.

Despite Brown’s lead in the Fox News poll, Republicans continue to hold significant advantages in Ohio. President Donald Trump carried the state by more than 11 percentage points in 2024, and Republicans control both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly as well as nearly every statewide executive office.

The special election is scheduled for Nov. 3.