Ohio Republican Senate nominee?
$92.0K
MAY 6, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer State Senator
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyModerate Republican
Age61 years old (Jan 12, 1965)
GenderMale
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LocationOhio
BackgroundAttorney
EducationBoston College — A.B., History
Notable personal detailsMatthew John Dolan is an American politician and attorney who served in the Ohio House of Representatives (2005–2010) and later represented Ohio’s 24th State Senate district (2017–2024). He is a partner at the law firm Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan and has worked as a chief assistant prosecutor in Geauga County and as an assistant attorney general for Ohio. Dolan is associated with the Cleveland Guardians organization through his family’s ownership and holds a partial stake in the team.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports tax cuts and reductions in government regulation, including advocating lower corporate tax rates and enacting state-level tax reductions while chairing the Ohio Senate Finance Committee. Has sponsored or led legislation and budget measures described as reducing income and business taxes and creating tax credits to encourage job creation.
Healthcare
Matt Dolan opposes the Affordable Care Act, calling it "conceived wrongly, implemented poorly," and says he will fight for "commonsense healthcare policies" to control costs and expand access. As an Ohio legislator he sponsored pharmacy provider-status legislation and supported hospital funding and price-transparency measures while serving as chair of the Senate Finance Committee. His public statements position him against Obamacare and in favor of market-oriented, cost-control reforms rather than large public expansions like single‑payer care.
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Immigration & Border
The candidate emphasizes securing and sealing the U.S. border, supports increased border patrol, more wall and technology, and a temporary closure to immigration while security is improved; he would exempt certain legal temporary workers but opposes amnesty.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Matt Dolan describes himself as pro-life while supporting exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the life of the pregnant person. He has said he prefers keeping abortion policy at the state level but would consider federal limits (including looking at bans on late-term abortions) depending on legislation. His campaign website and public statements endorse upholding the Hyde Amendment and reducing abortions through pro-life policies and support for pregnancy/family services.
Climate & Energy
Supports development of clean energy and protecting water resources while opposing heavy government mandates on energy; favors market-driven innovation and has criticized federal policies he calls a "war on energy."
Public Safety & Guns
Supports strong Second Amendment protections and has voted for permitless (constitutional) carry and other measures expanding gun rights, while expressing limited support for some targeted mental-health–related restrictions. Opposes broad universal background-check mandates for private sales and frames enforcement changes as protecting lawful gun owners.
News
Matt Dolan is in the news as an Ohio candidate in the 2026 election cycle, with his race part of a broader battleground map that has recently shifted toward toss-up territory. Ohio’s primary field has been confirmed, and he is also being discussed in the context of major state-level fights over election rules and redistricting. More broadly, Ohio is one of the key states drawing attention in 2026 because of competitive Senate, governor, and other statewide races.
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Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262022
2024
2026
LatestCycle 2022
Cycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements