COLUMBUS, Ohio — Republican state Sen. Matt Dolan will run for Ohio’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Dolan announced the decision Monday, following a statewide listening tour. The 56-year-old is a member of the family who owns the Cleveland Indians.
“After meeting with Republicans, conservative activists and community leaders across Ohio in recent weeks, it’s clear that the focus of the race for U.S. Senate has yet to be about our people, our interests, and our beloved state,” Dolan’s statement announcing his candidacy reads in part.
The statement goes on to blame the Biden administration for what Dolan says is a series of crises spanning from the southern border to the Middle East.
“Ohioans want jobs, not a federal government paying people to not work,” said Dolan. “Ohioans want security, not a federal government who opens our borders and defunds our police. And Ohioans want a problem solver who has successfully faced Ohio’s biggest challenges impacting our quality of life, not the political blame game that lacks commonsense solutions.”
He casts himself as a tough but pragmatic politician in the tradition of exiting GOP Sen. Rob Portman and the late astronaut and Democratic Sen. John Glenn.
Dolan’s centrist message distinguishes him from a Republican field vying for ex-President Donald Trump’s attention and backing. He faces former state treasurer Josh Mandel, former state GOP chair Jane Timken, author JD Vance and business owners Bernie Moreno and Mike Gibbons.
“With the courage of my convictions, clarity of purpose and a resolute focus on the real challenges facing our beloved state, I am ready to lead,” Dolan said.
