Republican State Senator Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls) announced he’s running for U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.
“I am unapologetically committed to putting the needs of Ohio first and delivering results as our next U.S. Senator. With the courage of my convictions, clarity of purpose, and a resolute focus on the challenges and opportunities facing our beloved state, I am ready to lead,” Dolan said in a statement.
Dolan is the first Republican to enter the race. He 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, who is considered a moderate, has represented districts in the Cleveland region and has been a senator for Ohio since 2017. He previously served three terms in the Ohio House. On social issues, Dolan has been supportive of restrictions on abortions; however, he voted against the legislation that restricts the procedure at the first detectable fetal heartbeat. According to Dolan, he anticipated that it would result in an expensive and, at the time, seemingly hopeless federal court fight.
Following the horrific mass shooting in Dayton in 2019, Dolan also sponsored a set of firearm reforms put out by Republican Governor Mike DeWine, defying some who felt it violated their Second Amendment rights. The bill languished despite initial bipartisan support.
He was one of the 2022 candidates who did not incorporate the ideals of former President Donald Trump into his campaign. He had supported him twice, though, and in an interview early last year, he declared that he would do so again.
Dolan now hopes to challenge Brown, a Democrat from Cleveland, who has previously declared his intention to run for office again in 2024. In the increasingly red state, his seat will be viewed as a prime Republican pickup opportunity.
“A lot can change in thirty years, but in that time Sherrod Brown’s commitment to his party has remained the same. Together with Joe Biden, Sherrod Brown has kicked America’s problems down the road for a generation. Their time is up,” Dolan said in a Tuesday statement.
The Democratic Party currently holds a narrow 51-49 majority in the upper chamber.
A primary target for the GOP in 2024 will be Brown’s seat, along with those held by U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV.), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), who is retiring.
Other potential GOP contenders include Bernie Moreno, a successful businessman who also or office in 2022, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, state Attorney General Dave Yost, U.S. Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH-08), and Mark Kvamme, a venture capitalist list with close ties to former Governor John Kasich. Three-time Senate candidate Josh Mandel has said he will not run.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Matt Dolan” by Matt Dolan. Background Photo “U.S. Capitol” by Solvej Nielsen.
