Ohio Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown, running to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by JD Vance in 2025, has vowed not to confirm “Trump judges” on the federal bench.
However, in a bid to appear more moderate to Ohio voters who backed Donald Trump in three straight presidential elections, Brown declared he would not pursue impeachment against President Trump.
During an interview with Ali Velshi on his podcast, Brown stressed Democrats must hold Trump accountable, then added: “We’re not obviously confirming judges that are Trump judges, but there’s much we can do to help people in their daily life.”
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley condemned Brown’s pledge for abandoning the Senate’s constitutional duty of “advice and consent” under Article II, Section 2. “Brown is literally pledging he will toss away the constitutional duty of ‘advice and consent’ and vote blindly against anyone nominated by President Trump because he does not like him,” Turley wrote.
Turley noted that while opposing-party senators often reject nominees, they typically maintain the appearance of “advice and consent.” Brown’s pledge, he argued, would mean rejecting even qualified nominees—such as Louis Brandeis.
The professor highlighted Ohio voters’ consistent support for Trump: 55.2% in 2024, 53.3% in 2020, and 52.1% in 2016. “I am old enough to remember when senators routinely voted for judges from the other party and different ideology as a matter of political integrity,” Turley said.
Brown has previously voted to convict Trump on impeachment charges but recently stated he would not support an impeachment of Trump, citing no compelling reason. His campaign focuses on affordability, noting “life is too expensive” with low paychecks and high costs for utilities, healthcare, groceries, and housing. Brown also pledged to prevent insurance companies from denying claims and cap utility bill increases while ensuring data centers pay the full cost of utility bills.
Brown’s lifetime Freedom Index grade is a solid F—20 percent—with a 0% rating in the 117th Congress. He has served in Ohio’s House of Representatives since 1975 and held roles as secretary of state and U.S. senator.
By R. Cort Kirkwood
