Sherrod Brown latest Democrat to announce vote for GOP-led DC crime resolution

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) announced on Tuesday that he will vote for a resolution to effectively overturn the District of Columbia’s crime bill, joining several other vulnerable Democratic incumbents. 

“The mayor vetoed it, so she opposed it,” Brown told The Hill. “This is important to law enforcement, important to my state. I still support home rule. They should have full home rule, but I don’t think picking and choosing like this makes sense.” 

Among other things, the update to the D.C. criminal code would lower penalties for some violent crimes, including carjackings and robberies. It would also increase the number of jury trials for misdemeanor offenses. 

The Ohio Democrat, who is seeking reelection in 2024, joins Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) in voting for the resolution and against the crime bill. They are considered the three top targets for Republicans to defeat this election cycle given they all hold seats in red-leaning states. 

President Biden told the Senate Democratic caucus during lunch on Thursday that he would not veto the resolution, and in the days since a number of Democrats have followed his lead in supporting the bill.

Five senators who caucus with the Democrats announced on Monday they would vote for the resolution. 

The resolution vote is expected to take place on Wednesday.