Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew owners get involved in Ohio's 2024 Senate race

The owners of the Cleveland Browns and Columbus Crew are getting into the fight to unseat U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2024.

Jimmy and Dee Haslam told donors they're throwing their support behind state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, in the GOP primary, according to a letter obtained by the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau. Dolan, whose family owns the Cleveland Guardians, is running for the nomination against Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno.

The Haslams, who are prominent Republican donors in Ohio, will also serve as state finance chairs for Dolan's campaign. Politico first reported the endorsement and partnership.

"Instead of catering to the extreme, Matt Dolan’s campaign has been focused on strengthening Ohio and renewing American strength," the couple wrote. "Where others have sacrificed their electability by catering to conspiracies, Matt has maintained his focus on solutions to reduce inflation, increase border security, enhance U.S. competition with China and protect Ohio families and businesses."

The Haslams plan to host a fundraiser for Dolan at their home next month, the letter stated. They live in Tennessee.

Haslams say they can't 'sit on the sidelines'

Ohio's Senate race will be one of the most competitive in the country as Brown, a Democrat, seeks his fourth term in a state won by former President Donald Trump twice. National Republican groups are expected to pour millions into Ohio to boost whichever candidate comes out of the GOP contest in March.

The primary heated up in recent weeks after LaRose accused his opponents of not doing enough to advocate for Issue 1, which failed at the ballot box on Aug. 8. The race will likely grow more contentious as 2024 nears and the candidates begin inundating the airwaves. Dolan and Moreno are personally wealthy and can self-fund their campaigns if needed.

The Haslams' decision to get behind a candidate this early marks a shift from the 2022 Senate primary, when they donated to Dolan, Moreno and now-Sen. J.D. Vance. They continued supporting Vance after he won the nomination, Federal Election Commission filings show.

The couple has also donated about $46,000 to LaRose's campaigns for secretary of state.

In the letter, the Haslams said the 2024 Senate race is too important for them to "sit on the sidelines."

"The current contest for the Republican Senate nomination in Ohio includes three candidates we have come to know well," they wrote. "All share a passion for our country, yet in recent weeks, only one, Matt Dolan, has presented himself as a principled conservative with the skill set and track record to get America back on the right track."

Haley BeMiller 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.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio 2024 Senate race: Jimmy Haslam, Dee Haslam back Matt Dolan