Ex-Sen. Rob Portman endorses in Ohio Senate GOP primary

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ex-Sen. Rob Portman has issued an endorsement in Ohio’s Republican U.S. Senate race.

Portman announced Friday that he and his wife, Jane, are backing state Sen. Matt Dolan. In a statement, Portman praised Dolan’s “conservative record of accomplishment and his commitment to continue to focus on achieving results.”

“We believe his deep understanding of the issues facing our state, combined with his ability to build consensus and drive meaningful change, make him the best choice to represent Ohioans at the federal level and champion the cause of freedom at home and abroad,” Portman said.

Dolan is running against Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Westlake businessman Bernie Moreno in the March 19 Republican primary election for U.S. Senate. The winner will go on to face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November.

Both LaRose and Moreno have positioned themselves in the GOP’s conservative populist wing, touting themselves as proud supporters of ex-President Donald Trump, although Moreno ended up getting Trump’s endorsement.

But Dolan is running a campaign more reminiscent of Portman’s traditional Republican style, particularly by calling for continued U.S. financial support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Dolan has argued that doing so is in the United States’ national interest, while Moreno has called for an immediate end to billions the U.S. has spent to Ukraine already.

Portman endorsed in Ohio’s last competitive Republican U.S. Senate primary in 2022, backing former Ohio Republican Party Jane Timken for his old seat after he opted to retire that year rather than seek reelection.

Timken ended up finishing in fifth place, getting 6% of the vote.

Chris Maloney, a Dolan campaign spokesperson called Portman a “highly respected statesman” who also is a prodigious fundraiser, and said he remains popular in Ohio, particularly near Cincinnati, where Portman lives.

Andrew Tobias covers state politics and government for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer