Republican state Sen. Matt Dolan announced Tuesday that he will run for US Senate in Ohio in 2024, seeking to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in a state that has been trending toward the GOP in recent years.
Dolan’s announcement makes him the first Republican to officially jump into what is expected to be a competitive race.
Dolan, whose family owns the Cleveland Guardians baseball team, mounted an unsuccessful US Senate bid in 2022, finishing third in the GOP primary that was won by now-Sen. J.D. Vance. Notably, Dolan was able to tap his personal fortune for that effort, contributing and loaning more than $10 million to his campaign.
The GOP primary to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman in Ohio in 2022 was a crowded and contentious affair, and the race to take on Brown – who’s held the seat since 2007, even as the state has trended increasingly red – could be a similarly competitive contest. Brown is one of three Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2024 who represent states Donald Trump won by at least 8 points in 2020, making him a top target of Senate Republicans.
Other potential GOP contenders include Bernie Moreno, a wealthy businessman who also ran in 2022; Ohio Secretary of State Frank La Rose; state Attorney General David Yost; and US Rep. Warren Davidson, who represents the 8th Congressional District. Former state treasurer and three-time Senate candidate Josh Mandel has said he will not run.
This story has been updated with additional background information.
