Sen. Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell BrownSenate Democrats release report alleging Trump admin undermined fair housing policies Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Emboldened Democrats haggle over 2021 agenda MORE, a leading Democratic voice on financial regulation and workers rights, was elected to a third term in Ohio, a crucial presidential battleground state that President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE carried in 2016.

Brown, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, is considered a potential dark-horse candidate for president in 2020, but he has been less active than colleagues such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenHarris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda Judd Gregg: The Kamala threat — the Californiaization of America GOP set to release controversial Biden report MORE (D-Mass.) and Cory Booker Cory Anthony BookerBipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility Democratic lawmakers call for an investigation into allegations of medical neglect at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.) when it comes to jockeying for a possible White House bid.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 65-year-old senator defeated Rep. Jim Renacci James (Jim) B. RenacciOhio is suddenly a 2020 battleground Democrats fear Ohio slipping further away in 2020 Medicare for All won't deliver what Democrats promise MORE (R-Ohio), whose campaign was plagued by controversy over his work as a lobbyist before coming to Congress.

Although a lawyer for Renacci, 59, filed paperwork ending his registration as a lobbyist in August 2009, the process wasn’t completed until this year, prompting charges from Brown’s campaign that Renacci had been a lobbyist while in Congress.

Renacci was not Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellPelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Senate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes MORE’s (R-Ky.) first choice to run against Brown. The GOP leader reached out earlier this year to J.D. Vance, author of the New York Times best-seller “Hillbilly Elegy,” about running for the Ohio Senate seat.

But the White House encouraged Renacci to run, prompting him to drop a potential gubernatorial campaign.

McConnell tried to stir up some more donor support in the Senate race when he told The Hill that he saw a survey “in Ohio indicating that race is very competitive.”

Even so, Renacci’s campaign failed to gel and the race received substantially less attention than battles in nearby Indiana and Wisconsin, even though Trump carried the Buckeye State by almost 10 points in 2016 and Brown is one of the most liberal members of the Senate.

Brown’s strength in Ohio and his appeal to Rust Belt voters could make him a tempting vice presidential pick in 2020. He has been an outspoken critic of steel dumping in the United States and has pushed hard to protect pension plans for retired coal miners.

He also touted his work on the farm bill and curbing toxic algae blooms in the Great Lakes.

Brown was on 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot Poll: 51 percent of voters want to abolish the electoral college MORE’s shortlist of potential running mates and went through the vetting process.

In a speech Tuesday night, Brown said his victory showed "progressives can win - and win decisively - in the heartland." local outlet The Vindicator reported.

"That is the message coming out of Ohio in 2018, and that is the blueprint for our nation in 2020," he said.

Even while Brown’s reelection campaign didn’t garner much attention this year, sources close to him say he didn’t take anything for granted.

The race turned ugly when Renacci leveled unsubstantiated allegations that Brown had made unwanted advances toward women, which Brown’s campaign protested as “false and libelous” statements.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Brown told Renacci at a debate in Columbus last month.

An Emerson poll published last week showed Brown with a 6-point lead over Renacci.

Updated at 8:57 p.m.

Emily Birnbaum contributed.