WASHINGTON, D.C. — Vice President Kamala Harris’ sudden rise to the top of the ticket is shaking up more than just the presidential race; it also offers new opportunities for Democrats to boost turnout in Ohio’s competitive Senate race.

As Harris ramped up her presidential campaign with a stop in Houston Thursday, Senate candidates in Ohio were busy shifting their own campaign strategies.

Republican Bernie Moreno is seeking to unseat Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, in a nationally watched race that could determine the balance of power in the Senate.

Up until this week, Brown had distanced himself from President Joe Biden and his 36% approval rating in the state, according to RealClearPolitics.

Brown last Friday called on Biden to bow out of the race—and when he did—Brown endorsed Harris.

“Having Harris take over is a huge benefit to the Sherrod Brown campaign,” said University of Akron political science professor Dave Cohen.

In a state that leans increasingly Republican, Cohen said Brown will need high Democratic turnout and that campaigning with a more popular candidate could draw more people out to vote.

“He really needs to drive his base out to the polls. And, frankly, Democrats were not enthusiastic about, Biden as the nominee. Kamala Harris, you know, there's this newfound enthusiasm,” Cohen said. “I firmly believe that Sherrod Brown is going to campaign together with Kamala Harris.”

In a sign that Brown still wants to keep his race separate from the presidential, he has not committed to campaigning with Harris.

“I had not thought that through,” Brown said during a press call on Wednesday. “I’ve endorsed the vice president. But my job is my job. My focus will always be fighting for Ohio, not who's running for president.”

Moreno’s campaign continues to try to tie brown to Biden, as it has done in advertising in recent months. Now those ads also name Harris as allied with both Biden and Brown.

Moreno wrote in a post on X, “Kamala Harris is even more extreme than Joe Biden. Together with Sherrod Brown, they will stop at nothing to finish their radical agenda.”

Polls show Trump will likely win Ohio in November. A Marist poll from June, however, suggested Ohioans were open to splitting their ticket by voting Republican for president and Democrat for Senate.

The Cook Political Report rates the Ohio Senate race as a toss-up.