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FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Jon Husted has secured a record-breaking 75 endorsements from Ohio's 88 county sheriffs, marking the largest show of support from law enforcement in the state's history, including a "clean sweep" of Independent sheriffs and a show of support from across party lines.
"They've seen at the national level people like Sherrod Brown denying the border crisis, when millions of people poured across our border who were unvetted," Husted told Fox News Digital. "That included people who were bringing drugs and human trafficking."
He explained his belief that the immigration and crime policies put in place under the Biden administration made law enforcement hesitant to support Brown, Husted's Democratic opponent in November who is aiming to return to the Senate after being ousted in 2024 after 18 years in the chamber.
Local sheriffs feel abandoned by previous federal policies, according to Husted.
"They would tell me that they would arrest people who were in the country illegally, they would have them in their jails, they would call Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and ICE would just say 'let them go,'" Husted claimed.
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Husted argued that the current return to pro-enforcement policies in the Trump administration has changed the game for those on the ground.
"These are the people on the front line," Husted said. "That's what they experience. They know the difference between where Sherrod Brown is on those issues... and where I've been. Now they see the opposite. When they arrest somebody who has committed a crime, who's in the country illegally, they just call ICE, ICE comes and gets them, and they do the process of deportation."
The list of officials backing Husted includes a sheriff who previously stood with Husted's opponent, Sherrod Brown. Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn, who endorsed Brown in the last cycle, is now firmly behind Husted.
"Jon Husted has proven he will stand up for law enforcement," Wasylyshyn said in a press release. "In this race, he's earned my support. I've seen his leadership, and I'm confident he will continue to support those of us working to keep our communities safe."
Additionally, the sheriff from Brown's home county of Richland is supporting Husted.
Husted also framed the issue of crime as a struggle for everyday Ohioans, noting that "working families" don't have the luxury of private security like some of the high-profile celebrity critics of crime crackdowns.
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"If you're, you know, a working family of four, you make $80,000 a year, you don't live in a gated community with officers and security," Husted said. "You live in neighborhoods where, in many cases, criminals try to come and steal cars, bring drugs and things like that. And they don't want that. That's why working families support law and order. They support the rule of law. They want people to follow the law, and they want law enforcement to enforce the law."
The senator's campaign pointed to Husted's long-standing record of funding law enforcement. Throughout his service, he led efforts to invest more than $274 million into Ohio law enforcement for body cameras, training and wellness programs. He also pioneered the creation of a statewide law enforcement recruitment hub to address critical staffing shortages.
"Jon Husted has been an ally to law enforcement when others have turned their backs," said Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas Riggenbach. "He has always stood with those of us on the front lines, making sure we have the resources and support we need to do our jobs."
For Husted, the endorsements are more than just numbers; they are a validation of his career-long alignment with police. "I've been behind the police my whole life," Husted said. "They're on the front lines of fighting crime, and they know I've always had their backs. I support them, and they support me-and together, we'll keep Ohio safe."
After publication, the Brown campaign criticized Husted in a statement for a procedural vote in September against a Schumer-backed amendment to release the Epstein files, which later passed by unanimous consent with Husted's support. The statement also said that Brown "proudly stands with Ohio law enforcement and will always fight to ensure Ohio law enforcement officers have the resources and the benefits they deserve and have earned."
The Brown campaign also pointed to $620,000 in funding for Ohio law enforcement secured by Brown and his support of a bipartisan immigration bill backed by U.S. Border Patrol agents in 2024.
The Ohio Senate race is viewed as a key battleground because Democrats see it as a winnable pickup that could erode the GOP's narrow 53-47 majority, while Republicans need to hold it to prevent their already slim margin from tightening further.
