Sherrod Brown, in Washington for more than three decades, now claims to care about affordability

Ohio Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Sherrod Brown recently met with several Columbus small-business owners to discuss affordability and to attack his political opponent, incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, for allegedly not doing anything for people in the Buckeye State.

During the conversation, Letha Pugh, the owner of the bakery Bake Me Happy and the burger joint Prestons, criticized President Donald Trump’s tariffs, saying she and other small business owners are struggling because of them and highlighting the “astronomical” beef prices, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.

“What happens is there’s a threat of a tariff, the price increases, and then the price just never goes back down,” she said.

While talking to business owners, Brown, who served in either the U.S. House or U.S. Senate from 1993 to earlier this year, used the opportunity to criticize Husted, alleging that he allowed “insurance rates to double and triple” for those who get their insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

Brown also incorrectly claimed that Husted “has not spoken out against those tariffs or done anything about them.” Husted, who officially announced his run for reelection, recently criticized Trump’s tariffs.

“Tariffs are an interesting challenge,” he said. “I’m typically not in favor of anything that would be a tax or a tariff or something like that.”

While opposing the tariffs, Husted also defended Trump, saying the tariffs usually prevent America’s adversaries, like China, from taking advantage of Americans.

“Tariffs are part of the leverage for that, but I hope that these issues get settled soon, and I would like, if there are going to be any tariffs, that they’d be as low as possible,” he said.

Before this interview, Husted was on the same page on tariffs, going so far as to defend the policy and vote for every major Trump agenda item in the Senate.

The almost radical shift on the issue was possibly caused by Trump’s recent low favorability ratings on the economy, as well as the unpopularity of tariffs among many Americans.

Brown also criticized Husted for supporting Trump’s tax cut package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill.

“He’s made some speeches, he’s introduced some bills, but he had a chance nine times and turned his back on people in this state,” he said.

An Americans for Prosperity–Ohio spokesperson declined to weigh in on Brown’s latest comments. However, in August, the group called out what it said was his “Washington-first record,” saying the former senator and current candidate “put party politics ahead of Ohio families.”

“He voted against the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, refused to stop Biden’s ESG rule, and backed every major plank of the Biden/Harris Bidenomics playbook—spending that fueled inflation, the so-called ‘Green New Scam’ (AFP), and costly energy mandates,” AFP-OH State Director Donovan O’Neil said in a statement at the time.

“When Brown had the chance to secure the border, he failed. When Ohioans needed relief from soaring prices, he doubled down on the very policies that made life more expensive,” O’Neil added. “Ohioans rejected Brown’s record last year. As he flirts with a 2026 run, we’ll keep reminding voters that Sherrod Brown talks like an Ohioan, but votes like a progressive in Washington—and Ohio families pay the price.”

Several spokespeople for Republican groups did not respond to requests for comment on Brown’s comments.