The president of a national police union honored former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown on Tuesday for championing one of the group’s top legislative priorities during his final days in Congress.
Whether the recognition becomes a résumé builder for another Brown campaign or serves as a capstone to a decades-long political career is unclear at this point. But the attention from an influential police union adds fuel to speculation that Brown, a longtime Democrat, might seek a comeback after losing his senate seat to Republican Bernie Moreno last November.
National Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes presented Brown with an award during the Ohio FOP’s annual conference in Cincinnati, praising him for co-sponsoring and helping to pass the Social Security Fairness Act. That law killed a decades-old provision limiting Social Security benefits for many public workers, including law enforcement officers.
Brown, the bill’s lead Democratic sponsor, helped usher the legislation through the Senate on Dec. 20, just weeks after losing his re-election bid. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Joe Biden in early January, just days before Biden left office.
Addressing a ballroom full of Ohio FOP members, Yoes called the legislation a “moonshot” that will affect his union’s members for generations to come. Members have started receiving checks in the mail, since the legislation includes retroactive lump sum payments for retirees and their surviving spouses.
“Seldom will we have an opportunity to see such a monumental change, something that impacts our members and the public,” Yoes said.
A complex relationship with police
For an Ohio Democrat, the award would typically be a political boost — especially as the party has lost ground with police unions in recent years. For instance, Brown failed to get the Ohio FOP’s endorsement in October, despite a recommendation from union leaders, the first time that had happened since Brown’s career in the Senate began in 2006. Members said at the time they were upset by a social media post Brown made in 2021 about a 16-year-old Columbus girl whom police shot and killed while she held a knife. The post was viewed by some as a slight to police.
In an interview after the ceremony, Brown said he’s still undecided about his political future. Brown has said repeatedly that he’s considering running for governor or U.S. Senate, if he decides to run for anything at all.
“I’m just not ready to make a decision yet,” Brown said.
Speculation continues to swirl around Brown’s next move
Some Ohio Democrats believe Brown is leaning toward a gubernatorial bid in 2026, where he would likely clear the field and appear atop the ticket, potentially boosting down-ballot candidates. Former state health department director Dr. Amy Acton is the only Democratic candidate for governor, while entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is the strong Republican Party frontrunner.
Brown is also getting pushed by national Democrats to return to the Senate, since the party’s only chance of regaining the majority involves picking up seats in red states such as Ohio. Republican Sen. Jon Husted is running for election next year after Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to fill Vice President JD Vance’s seat in January.
Still, Brown might choose to stay off the political stage altogether. He recently launched a policy think tank focused on worker issues, which he’s used to secure media appearances and maintain a national profile.
The uncertainty around Brown’s next move has left other potential Democratic candidates in a holding pattern. Former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, among others, is waiting on Brown’s decision.
“I have no timetable,” Brown said, declining to expound on his political thinking.
Standing ovation with some holdouts
Brown was a featured speaker on Tuesday, following two current U.S. senators: Husted and Moreno, who both spoke at the Ohio FOP conference the day before.
Most — though not all — of the dozens of police union members in the ballroom on Tuesday rose to applaud as Brown accepted the award.
During a short acceptance speech, Brown thanked police for their advocacy for the Social Security bill and their work in the community, saying “nobody is more important on the street.”
“I know up close, and from a policy perspective, that communities are more dangerous today than when you took your oath as police officers,” Brown said.
Brown recalled urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring the bill to a vote. It happened after midnight, during Brown’s final day in the Senate. He said it was rare to be able to pass something in Congress that affects people’s lives so directly.
“Thanks for the award. We’ll find ways — trust me — to continue this work on issues like this,” Brown said.
