The Cleveland Browns owners on Monday endorsed State Senator Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls) in his run for U.S. Senate against U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.
The Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam announced their support for Dolan, who owns a stake in another professional sports team, the Cleveland Guardians, saying they have taken on the roles of his Senate campaign’s Statewide Finance Chairs.
The Haslams also sent a letter to other potential Republican donors asking that they join in support of Dolan for U.S. Senate.
The letter, obtained by German-owned Politico, said that Dolan (pictured above) is the best candidate to get America back on track.
“Matt Dolan has presented himself as a principled conservative with the skill set and track record to get America back on the right track. Matt’s policy experience and past electoral performance make him the Republican most likely to win the primary and defeat Sherrod Brown in the general election,” the letter said.
The letter added that the other candidates have sacrificed their electability by catering to conspiracies while Dolan has maintained his focus on solutions to protect Ohio families and businesses making him the best choice to represent Ohio in Washington.
Dolan, who is considered a moderate, was the first Republican to enter the U.S. Senate race in January of this year. Republican politician and businessman Bernie Moreno and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose joined the race shortly thereafter.
Dolan was a contender in the crowded Republican primary in 2022, alongside newcomer JD Vance (R-OH), who later won a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Dolan previously supported former President Donald Trump twice, and in an interview early last year, he declared that he would do so again.
Dee and Jimmy Haslam have not supported the ideals of Trump, calling him “misguided, uninformed, and divisive” in 2017 when he called for NFL owners to fire any players or employees who take a knee or don’t stand at attention during the national anthem.
Jimmy Haslam’s brother is former Governor of Tennessee Bill Haslam, who 2016 called on Trump to drop out of the presidential race following him making “a derogatory comment” about women.
In contrast, both Moreno and LaRose have vocalized their support of Trump’s platform and endorsement of his run for U.S. President.
In April, Trump offered support for Moreno’s Senate Run, saying, “He would not be easy to beat against Brown.”
He is also backed by Vance, whom Trump endorsed in the 2022 election. Moreno’s daughter, Emily Moreno Miller, worked on Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign and last year married U.S. Congressman Max Miller (R-OH-07), another former Trump aide.
According to LaRose, although he does not agree with Trump on every point of substance, they share a common vision of America’s potential. Last month, he officially gave his full and total endorsement of Trump for U.S. President.
The Democratic Party currently holds a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Matt Dolan” by Matt Dolan.
