How to Read This

Colors reflect constitutional accountability based on publicly verifiable conduct. They are not endorsements or predictions of election outcomes. Ratings reflect the severity, pattern, and context of conduct.

Green — Clear constitutional compliance / restraint
Amber — Mixed, limited, or under-articulated record
Red — Clear or repeated constitutional breach

OH Constitutional Accountability Scorecard — Summary Table

Contest & Candidate Use of Force Rule of Law Election Integrity
U.S. Senate
Jon Husted (R, incumbent)
Sherrod Brown (D)
U.S. Senate
Jon Husted
Republican Incumbent — U.S. Senate
Use of Force: Amber Rule of Law: Green Election Integrity: Amber

1. Use of Force — Amber

Amber
What the Record Shows
  • Voted against multiple versions of the Iran War Powers Resolution, declining to support efforts to strengthen Congress's legitimate constitutional role in authorizing and overseeing military action.
  • Generally supports executive branch discretion on military and immigration enforcement matters, with limited emphasis on congressional oversight or approval requirements.
  • Supports immigration enforcement policies and expanded enforcement capacity through legislative action but has not articulated clear constitutional guardrails governing the use of force.
  • No public record of advocating unlawful force, emergency powers, domestic military deployment against civilians, or political violence.
Why Amber

Husted's record reflects support for lawful enforcement authority and executive discretion, but provides limited evidence of support for congressional checks or other constitutional restraints on the use of force.

While no clear constitutional breach is evident, the available record does not demonstrate the affirmative emphasis on oversight, restraint, or accountability required for a Green rating.

2. Rule of Law / Oversight — Green

Green
What the Record Shows
  • Supported eliminating the proposed Department of Justice anti-weaponization fund and backed prohibiting payments to January 6 participants, breaking with party leadership on accountability-related issues.
  • Backed legislation addressing the scope of nationwide injunctions through the legislative process, arguing that courts have exceeded their proper constitutional role.
  • No documented ethics violations, misuse of office findings, attacks on judicial independence, or efforts to evade oversight.
  • No public record of advocating disregard for court rulings or weakening formal oversight mechanisms.
Why Green

The record reflects respect for constitutional institutions and a demonstrated willingness to depart from party leadership on matters involving public accountability.

While Husted generally favors stronger executive authority than some of his counterparts, the available evidence does not show efforts to undermine judicial independence, oversight mechanisms, or lawful accountability.

3. Election Integrity — Amber

Amber
What the Record Shows
  • Publicly rejected Donald Trump's unsupported 2016 election-fraud claims and later dismissed allegations of voter fraud in Ohio elections.
  • Defended Ohio election administration against claims lacking supporting evidence, reinforcing confidence in certified election processes.
  • As Ohio Secretary of State, implemented and defended election-administration policies involving voter-roll maintenance and early voting access that became the subject of significant legal disputes over whether they unnecessarily limited participation by eligible voters.
  • Supports voter identification and election security measures, including federal photo identification requirements and the SAVE Act, which supporters view as strengthening election integrity, but critics argue may create unnecessary barriers for some lawful voters.
Why Amber

Husted's record includes meaningful defenses of election integrity, including rejecting unsupported fraud claims and defending election administration against misinformation.

However, he has also consistently supported election security measures that generated significant disputes over voter access and participation.

As a result, the record reflects both election integrity strengths and voter access concerns, producing a mixed rather than unequivocally Green record under CIU standards.

Sherrod Brown
Democratic Challenger — U.S. Senate
Use of Force: Green Rule of Law: Green Election Integrity: Green

1. Use of Force — Green

Green
What the Record Shows
  • Co-sponsored the Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act in 2019, supporting Congress's constitutional role in authorizing military action.
  • Backed accountability measures following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including impeachment proceedings against President Trump.
  • Endorsed constitutional limits on the domestic use of military force and opposed using military power to suppress peaceful protest activity.
  • No public record of advocating emergency powers, domestic military deployment against civilians, or coercive force directed at political opponents.
Why Green

Brown's record reflects affirmative support for congressional war powers, constitutional limits on domestic force, and accountability following political violence directed at constitutional institutions.

The available record demonstrates clear support for restraint and constitutional guardrails governing government force.

2. Rule of Law / Oversight — Green

Green
What the Record Shows
  • Supported both impeachment proceedings against President Trump, citing constitutional responsibilities, congressional oversight obligations, and separation-of-powers principles.
  • Conducted oversight of presidential business conflicts, sanctions compliance, and ethics concerns through his leadership role on the Senate Banking Committee.
  • Defended the independence of Inspectors General and criticized efforts to weaken executive branch oversight mechanisms.
  • Used formal oversight authorities to seek information from executive agencies regarding potential legal and ethical concerns.
Why Green

Brown's record reflects sustained use of congressional oversight authority and consistent support for institutional accountability mechanisms.

The available record demonstrates affirmative defense of checks and balances rather than merely the absence of misconduct.

3. Election Integrity — Green

Green
What the Record Shows
  • Voted against efforts to overturn certified 2020 election results and publicly rejected claims that the election was stolen.
  • Supported the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 election.
  • Backed voting rights legislation designed to protect lawful voter participation and election administration.
  • No public record of promoting election denial narratives or questioning certified election outcomes.
Why Green

Brown has consistently supported certified election outcomes, lawful election administration, and the peaceful transfer of power.

The record reflects affirmative support for election legitimacy and opposition to efforts to overturn lawful results.

Sources

Jon Husted

  1. U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote No. 46. (June 20, 2026). Iran military action.
  2. U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote No. 79. (June 27, 2026). Iran War Powers Resolution.
  3. Dayton Daily News. (March 6, 2026). Sen. Husted in Dayton: U.S. military action in Iran going 'much better' than expected.
  4. Ohio Capital Journal. (March 5, 2026). On war with Iran, no Ohio U.S. Senate candidate gives his unqualified support.
  5. U.S. Congress. Judicial Relief Clarification Act (S.1206).
  6. Sen. Jon Husted. (April 3, 2025). Husted backs bill to clarify the scope of judicial relief and end unconstitutional judicial overreach.
  7. CBS News. (June 5, 2026). Senate vote-a-rama on reconciliation and immigration funding.
  8. NPR. (June 5, 2026). Senate votes on anti-weaponization fund during reconciliation debate.
  9. U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote No. 138. (June 4, 2026). Amendment prohibiting federal payments to individuals convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack.
  10. NPR. (October 17, 2016). Ohio Secretary of State calls Trump's "rigged election" claims irresponsible.
  11. NBC4 Columbus. (August 13, 2018). Husted disputes claims of voter fraud in special election.
  12. Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, No. 16–980. (Argued January 10, 2018—Decided June 11, 2018). Regarding the removal of ineligible voters from state voting rolls, 52 U. S. C. §20501(b).
  13. NBC News. (May 6, 2013). Voting rights: Ohio secretary of state's early-voting flip flop.
  14. Sen. Jon Husted. (March 20, 2026). Husted bill to require photo ID to vote blocked from passage.
  15. Columbus Dispatch. (April 2, 2026). Husted has flip-flopped into a pickle. He knows the SAVE Act is awful | Our view.

Sherrod Brown

  1. U.S. Congress. Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act (S.1039).
  2. The Hill. (June 3, 2020). 21 senators urge Pentagon against military use to curb nationwide protests.
  3. State News. (January 6, 2022). Brown and Portman call for accountability on anniversary of the insurrection.
  4. PBS NewsHour. (February 5, 2020). Sen. Brown's full statement on President Trump's impeachment trial.
  5. U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (July 9, 2020). Brown statement on the Supreme Court's rulings regarding President Trump's financial records.
  6. U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (March 2, 2017). Brown asks Treasury to assess whether President Trump's global business ties could violate sanctions and anti-terrorism laws.
  7. U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (June 16, 2020). Brown and Schumer urge Special Inspector General Brian Miller to demonstrate independence and integrity.
  8. U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote No. 1. (January 6, 2021). Vote rejecting objection to Arizona's certified electoral votes.
  9. U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote No. 2. (January 7, 2021). Vote rejecting objection to Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes.