Calling himself the "nicest mean guy" you'll ever meet, state Sen. Matt Dolan waded into the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Monday.
He's not jumping all the way into the pool though. Dolan, whose family owns the Cleveland Indians, told the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau he's launching a summer listening tour to decide whether his brand of Republicanism is something voters want.
"I will not be shy about taking a conservative perspective into a room with President (Joe) Biden. If you do your homework and you know your issues, you can bring people closer to your side," Dolan said in an interview. "I'm aggressive, conservative. I get things done."
But the 56-year-old is also "a statesman" who "won't tear people down personally" and calls former Republican President George H.W. Bush a personal hero.
That sets Dolan apart from other Republicans in the race to replace U.S. Sen. Rob Portman.
Former state treasurer Josh Mandel has built a social media following around inflammatory comments that mimic former President Donald Trump. While former Ohio Republican Party leader Jane Timken, car dealer Bernie Moreno, investment banker Mike Gibbons and venture capitalist J.D. Vance have embraced the 45th president too.
Dolan said voted for Trump because he shared his views on tax cuts, the Iran nuclear deal, border security and the economy.
"Do I have the personality of Trump? No," Dolan said. "But I tell you I have the passion of the former president."
Speak softly and carry a big stick
Dolan spent the bulk of his political career in state politics and a lot of that tenure had him staring at numbers on spreadsheets.
He chairs the Senate Finance Committee and shepherded Ohio's two-year budget across the finish line earlier this month.
The state party described the plan as "the most conservative budget in Ohio legislative history." It included a massive, billion-dollar tax cut and a conscience clause that lets doctors refuse to perform treatments that violate their religious beliefs. And yet, it passed nearly unanimously, 32-1, in the Ohio Senate.
"To be in any business you have to come to a meeting prepared. Not only do I have to know what I believe; I have to know what you believe. That's how you drive people to your position," Dolan said. "You do your homework."
That's the approach he took as an assistant attorney general in Ohio, and it's where he earned his reputation for being "one of the nicest, meanest guys I’ve ever met."
"There’s a lot of show ponies in this business," Dolan said. "Washington needs more workhorses."
COVID, gun control and Chief Wahoo
You won't find a video of Dolan burning his masks on social media. The Chagrin Falls Republican consistently wore a facial covering down to Columbus throughout the pandemic.
"There had to be a balance between protecting Ohioans and protecting Ohio’s economy ...," Dolan said. "We can quibble over whether we should have done something sooner or quicker, but on the whole, I believe we did the right things."
He voted against a bill that would have required written consent for contact tracing, but he supported a bill that would ban Ohio's public schools from requiring students or employees to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dolan also stood with Gov. Mike DeWine after the mass shooting in downtown Dayton and agreed to carry a series of gun reforms through the legislature. STRONG Ohio didn't pass, but Dolan said that doesn't mean he's given up.
"Should a mentally ill person who has been determined so by a medical doctor and a court of law have access to guns?" Dolan asked.
He thinks most Ohioans would say no, which means the challenge lies in constructing a fair process for taking and returning those firearms. And he's open to suggestions.
His "Ohio Matters Tour" kicks off Tuesday at the Lake County Republican Headquarters, and people are welcome to bring their ideas about gun safety or any other topic. He'll even accept suggestions on the new name for the Cleveland Indians.
"It is unfortunate that we are changing the name," Dolan said.
But if he takes off his politician's hat and replaces it with a business one, he gets the reasons why. The name has become a distraction, a hindrance even to the company's main objectives: Put a winning team on the field and provide an enjoyable fan experience.
It was a difficult decision, but it's the kind of tough call Dolan promises he can make if Ohio sends him to Washington D.C.
"My personality isn’t to win by calling people names and win by tweeting all kinds of nonsense ...," Dolan said. "I'll work with people whether they are conservative Republicans or Democrats. If you aren't prepared to meet with people, you aren't doing your job."
Anna Staver is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
Source link
