Matt Dolan hits Sherrod Brown over spending record in new ad for toss-up Senate race

EXCLUSIVE — Republican Senate candidate Matt Dolan released his latest attack ad against Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), hitting out against the Democratic incumbent for his voting record on spending bills the GOP challenger says has led to record inflation rates in the Buckeye State.

The 60-second radio ad, released on Tuesday and first shared with the Washington Examiner, compares the legislative history of both candidates regarding government spending, with Dolan seeking to paint himself as more fiscally responsible than his three-term opponent. The ad accuses Brown of being one of the “biggest spenders” in Congress by supporting President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act.

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“Reckless spending in Washington is hurting Ohio families in the form of soaring inflation, greater debt and rising interest rates,” Dolan said in a statement. “Sherrod Brown has caused it to happen by voting with Joe Biden every chance he gets. When elected to the U.S. Senate, I will take my proven record as a fiscal conservative to fight wasteful spending, reduce debt and return more hard-earned tax dollars to every Ohioan.”

The ad also criticizes Brown for his support of the Inflation Reduction Act, a landmark piece of legislation by the Biden administration seeking to lower costs and cool inflation. However, Republicans have opposed that bill, arguing it could raise taxes and “have little to no impact on inflation for a while,” according to Brown’s campaign.

Additionally, Dolan’s campaign hit Brown for his opposition to the GOP-led Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which passed the House earlier this year but failed to garner enough support in the Democratic-led Senate.

“Enough is enough,” the voiceover in the ad says. “In Ohio, we balance our budget, and Congress should do the same. Inflation is a tax on everyone. We need to reduce spending and stop Washington from piling up more debt on the backs of our children.”

The ad compares Brown’s voting record to Dolan’s work in the state Senate where he has helped to craft the state’s budget over the last three years — work that has been lauded as “the most conservative budget in Ohio legislative history,” according to state Republicans.

The ad comes as the Ohio Senate race is expected to be one of the most competitive elections next year, making it only one of three races to be rated as a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report. Brown first flipped the seat blue in 2006, and he is today a rare example of a Democrat holding statewide office in Ohio.

The GOP primary has attracted a crowded field of candidates seeking to challenge Brown, including Dolan, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, businessman Bernie Moreno, and Joel Mutchler.

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There are 34 Senate seats up for grabs in the 2024 election cycle. Of these, Democrats must defend 23, compared to just 11 for Republicans, putting the GOP in a strong position to flip crucial Senate seats that could easily shift the balance of power in the upper chamber.

Democrats hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, with the advantage of having Vice President Kamala Harris as a tiebreaker vote if needed. As a result, Republicans only need to flip one Senate seat to win the majority should they win back the White House in 2024. If they don’t regain the Oval Office, the party must secure two extra Senate seats.