WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democrat Sherrod Brown of Ohio said on Monday he would try to return to the U.S. Senate seat in next year's midterm elections, a development that could bolster his party's chances of winning back control of the chamber.

Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown has launched his 2026 campaign to return to the U.S. Senate. The state's best-known Democrat tells The Associated Press he "couldn't stay on the sideline” after passage of Republicans' big tax breaks and spending cuts bill.

The announcement from Brown, a former three-term senator, bolsters Democrats’ long-shot hopes of flipping back the Senate in the 2026 elections. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber, with Democrats’ strongest opportunities appearing to be in Maine and North Carolina.