Democrat Sherrod Brown speaks about his promise to Ohioans while visiting Neader’s Diner for lunch on Wednesday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Democrat Sherrod Brown made an appearance at Neader’s Diner in Marietta Wednesday to speak with community members and answer questions as part of his campaign for the U.S. Senate.

Brown decided to return to the political scene after losing the 2024 election to Republican Bernie Moreno. He faces Ron Kincaid in the Democratic primary, with the winner to take on Republican Jon Husted, appointed to the seat last year after JD Vance became vice president.

Neader’s Diner on Third Street was packed with people enjoying lunch and wanting to hear from Brown.

“I don’t believe politics is left or right,” Brown said. “I’ve always been on the side of the middle class and workers and people struggling.”

Brown served in the Senate from 2007 to 2025, after being in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2007.

Democrat Sherrod Brown, right, speaks with a Marietta resident, left, at Neader’s Diner on Wednesday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

“I wasn’t going to do this, as some of you know,” he said. “On Inauguration Day, I watched the billionaires step out of their limousines and walk into the Capitol like they owned the place.”

Brown said after watching legislation that provided tax breaks to the richest Americans and cut health care funding for hundreds of thousands in Ohio, he decided it was time for a change.

Brown had referred to Husted voting against extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits in 2025, which can be found on www.senate.gov.

He said he’s watched the agriculture industry and the working class struggle to make ends meet. Brown said Husted was only about helping the rich and drug companies through special interest groups.

He said Husted recently had to testify in court regarding his connections to a $60 million bribery scheme with FirstEnergy executives and former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, who is three years into a 20-year jail sentence.

A crowd gathers at Neader’s Diner during lunchtime to meet Democrat Sherrod Brown during his campaign for Ohio Senate on Wednesday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

“We now know part of the reason why electric bills are going up and the cost of living keeps going up, and they’ve done nothing about it,” said Brown.

As part of Brown’s campaign, he said he’s traveling the state to meet directly with the people he wants to represent.

“You can be sure when I go back to the Senate, I’ll continue to fight for you,” he said.

Brown shook hands and chatted with guests at Neader’s Diner and asked about their personal lives and where they were from. He said he grew up working on a farm, and, although he doesn’t consider himself a farmer, he understands their frustration.

He said he’s been meeting with farmers across the state to discuss rising costs and how it’s impacting their businesses.

“People are ready for a change, and when you love this country, you fight for the people who make it work,” he said.

Brown said to combat the high cost of living, he wants to repeal the tax cuts on the rich and bring back affordable health insurance, as well as make adjustments to the child tax credit.

From Marietta, Brown traveled to the small town of Jackson later in the afternoon to continue his campaign Wednesday.

A representative of Husted’s campaign could not be immediately reached for comment by print deadline.