Republican Matt Dolan is looking to soften up Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown’s support in Ohio by taking him to task on immigration.
In the first statewide ad of his 2024 Senate campaign, Mr. Dolan says Mr. Brown’s consistent support for Mr. Biden’s agenda has “opened our borders, created the worst violent crime in decades and allowed fentanyl to pour into Ohio communities.”
The ad then turns to video footage of Mr. Brown saying the issue of immigration is not front and center in a lot of voters’ minds — “except people on the far right.”
Mr. Brown is one of the most vulnerable Democrats running for reelection.
Ohio has been moving red. Republicans see capturing Mr. Brown’s seat as crucial to flipping control of the Senate.
J.D. Vance defended Republican Sen. Rob Portman’s seat in the midterms last year in a race against Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan.
Mr. Dolan is running for the Republican Party’s 2024 Senate nomination against Bernie Moreno, a former car dealership owner.
Mr. Dolan and Mr. Moreno ran unsuccessfully for the GOP Senate nomination last year.
Mr. Dolan finished third behind Mr. Vance, who had former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, and Josh Mandel, a former state treasurer.
Speaking from the U.S.-Mexico Border in his new TV ad, Mr. Dolan says Mr. Brown is “dead wrong” on immigration.
“From violent crime to sex trafficking and deadly fentanyl — open borders are a direct threat to Ohio families,” Mr. Dolan says.
Mr. Dolan, a state senator who owns a partial stake in the Cleveland Guardians baseball team, vows to “get tough on illegal immigration” and stop the drug cartels from “killing our kids.”
“Sherrod Brown isn’t willing to fight, but I am,” he says. “We must secure this border now.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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