Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) will soon receive his first GOP challenger for the 2024 election after a voicemail revealed state Sen. Matt Dolan (R) plans to announce his campaign by the end of this week.
Dolan, who had an unsuccessful run for the GOP primary in Ohio last year, plans to run again for the seat in 2024, according to a voicemail he sent to an Ohio GOP official that was shared with NBC News.
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The state senator lost to Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who was backed by former President Donald Trump, despite remaining high in the polls. Dolan, who was often critical of Trump, was the only person to raise his hand when asked by a moderator during a debate if the former president should cease bringing up the 2020 election. Trump was not his biggest fan either, stating that he did not support Dolan for senator.
Brown, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, said in September last year that he would seek reelection in 2024 with a short “yes” answer.
“There is a longer answer, but that’s my point,” Brown said to NBC News when asked to elaborate. “I haven’t formally announced, but I plan to.”
Dolan’s announcement comes as the GOP gears up to gain a majority in the Senate in 2024. Republican Party leaders are already focusing on flipping seats in several battleground states, where Democrats will have to fight to maintain their control in the upper chamber.
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Democrats will have to defend 22 Senate seats, compared to Republicans defending 11. Ohio is one of eight states that the GOP is zeroing in on for 2024, including seats in Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Brown defeated Republican Jim Renacci in 2018. However, the Democrat is expected to face a tough reelection battle as the state continues to trend toward Republicans. In the 2022 midterm elections, Vance beat out former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) for the open Senate seat, allowing the GOP to potentially gain momentum for both seats in 2024.
