'Conservative' former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft to vote for Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown

Former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft described himself arsenic "a conservative" portion declaring his program to ballot for incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown successful the Buckeye State's 2024 U.S. Senate race.

Taft, who served arsenic governor from aboriginal 1999 done aboriginal 2007, is the great-grandson of the precocious President William Howard Taft, who, years aft his presidency, went connected to service arsenic main justness of the Supreme Court, making past arsenic the lone idiosyncratic ever to service successful some of those prestigious positions.

"I person ever tally for bureau nether the banner of the Republican Party, americium a blimpish and usually ballot a consecutive Republican ticket. Although inactive a Republican, I volition beryllium making an objection this twelvemonth successful Ohio’s U.S. Senate contention by supporting Sherrod Brown," Taft wrote successful a portion posted by the Dayton Daily News.

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Governor Bob Taft of Ohio, addresses the opening league of the Republican National Convention successful New York, connected Aug. 30, 2004.  (Chris Kleponis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"In doing so, I volition beryllium joining astir voters who marque judgments astir candidates based not conscionable connected enactment affiliation but, often much importantly, connected the campaigner and his oregon her character, acquisition and expertise," helium continued.

Taft noted that helium does not hold with Brown connected each argumentation issues, but believes "Ohioans precise overmuch request a highly effective, experienced advocator successful the U.S. Senate – idiosyncratic who is squarely focused connected some Ohio's and America's needs. This is the benignant of person Sherrod Brown has been."

Brown, who has served successful the Senate since 2007, is facing a situation from Republican campaigner Bernie Moreno. 

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Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio and president of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, speaks during a information proceeding successful Washington, D.C., US, connected Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Brown acknowledged the endorsement connected societal media, noting, "Bob Taft is the lone feline to bushed maine successful an election. Despite our governmental differences, I’m grateful to person his enactment successful this race."

Taft defeated Brown successful the 1990 Ohio caput of authorities contest.

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Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and  his woman Usha Chilukuri Vance observe arsenic helium is nominated for the bureau of Vice President alongside Ohio Delegate Bernie Moreno connected the archetypal time of the Republican National Convention astatine the Fiserv Forum connected July 15, 2024 successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Currently, Ohio's different U.S. Senator, J.D. Vance, is erstwhile President Donald Trump's 2024 moving mate successful the 2024 statesmanlike contest.