Why It Matters
Buckeyes PAC, a super PAC registered in September, is targeting former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) with television ads focused on immigration and noncitizen voting in Ohio's competitive U.S. Senate special election. Brown, who served in the Senate from 2007 to 2025 before losing re-election to Republican Bernie Moreno, is challenging Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), who was appointed to succeed JD Vance. The race is rated a toss-up.
Buckeyes PAC's spending strategy has focused exclusively on attacking Brown rather than promoting Husted directly. The group's advertisements reflect Republican efforts to make immigration and election security central issues in the contest. The committee registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Sept. 8 and launched its advertising campaign shortly afterward. Its rapid entry is part of a broader surge of Republican-aligned outside spending in Ohio.
Buckeyes PAC has not publicly identified a sponsoring organization or issued a detailed statement of its policy priorities. Reuters reported that the committee shares a treasurer with a pro-Trump super PAC, suggesting connections to Republican political operations without establishing common donors or coordination.
What It Spent
Buckeyes PAC reported a single independent expenditure of $2 million opposing Brown in the Ohio Senate special election.
The expenditure was reported in a September 48-hour notice and covered television advertising through Flexpoint Media. The transaction was dated Sept. 17, although the original article listed Sept. 16. The records reviewed identified no additional spending in support of Husted or opposing other candidates.
Who Funds It
Through Oct. 14, Buckeyes PAC reported approximately $2.01 million in total receipts and approximately $2 million in total disbursements, with $4,975 cash on hand. According to the supplied financial summary, its reported funding sources were individual contributions.
The Ad Buy
Buckeyes PAC's advertising centered on immigration and allegations about Brown's voting record. Cleveland.com examined the PAC's immigration attacks, while Local 12 reported Sept. 25 that Brown's campaign asked television stations to remove an advertisement accusing him of supporting illegal voting.
According to Local 12, the PAC acknowledged that the legislation cited in its advertisement did not permit illegal voting but defended its characterization of Brown's position. The dispute generated additional coverage of the advertisement and its underlying claims.
Other Spenders in the Same Races
The supplied spending analysis identified several substantially larger outside-spending operations. The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF PAC) spent $68.22 million opposing Brown and $1.89 million supporting Husted. Defend American Jobs spent $33.78 million supporting Husted and $12.89 million opposing Brown, and WinSenate spent $44.81 million opposing Husted and $53,000 supporting Brown.
You can explore more about this committee's filings at Legis1.com.
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