WASHINGTON, D.C. — A unified and newly energized Democratic Party is preparing to gather in Chicago next week behind their new White House nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. But at least one Democrat from Ohio is keeping his distance from the party—both figuratively and literally—by not attending.

Sen. Sherrod Brown is opting not to attend the convention, in order to spend time in Ohio meeting with and hearing from voters, according to a campaign spokesperson.

“I often skip conventions. I’ll go to conventions maybe a day sometimes. I don’t plan to,” Brown said in audio of an interview provided by the campaign.

Actually, Brown has not missed a Democratic Convention since he was elected to Congress in 1994.

The campaign said the decision was made before President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and Harris moved to the top of the ticket. He has since endorsed Harris for president.

It also comes amid the toughest reelection of Brown’s career, where he is vying to win in a state where registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats nearly two to one.

“A lot of it is just risk/reward type of calculus,” said Benjamin LaPoe, professor of political communication at Ohio University. “Generally speaking, once Ohio voters start thinking national politics, they tend to gravitate towards the Republican Party and away from Democrats. So they're trying to keep their campaigns focused on local Ohio.”

Brown has distanced himself from the Democratic Party in his campaign as well, instead highlighting issues affecting the middle class.

“The political calculus is, Sherrod Brown has always been able to sell himself as independent regardless of who's in the White House, and this just kind of emphasizes his independence,” said Dave Cohen, professor of political science at the University of Akron. “It doesn't really matter who the person is at the top of the ticket for the Democratic Party.”

The office of Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, who is facing headwinds in a district Trump won in 2020, said she had not yet decided if she will go to the convention.

Yet Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio, also locked in a tough race in Ohio’s 13^th congressional district, is planning to attend.

That strategy could draw more turnout from her Democratic base, political analysts said, in an increasingly Republican state where vulnerable Democratic lawmakers need as many moderate and swing votes as possible.

“I think it's an easy choice for her to make to support the nominee,” Cohen said. “Now, if Joe Biden were the nominee, with his low approval ratings and pretty dim prospects as a presidential candidate, I think the decision might have been much more difficult.”

Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, who had publicly called on Biden to bow out of the race, will also be at the convention.

Ohio’s other two Democrats—Reps. Joyce Beatty and Shontel Brown—also plan to attend. Both are heavily favored to win their re-election bids.