Senate District 24: Experienced Dolan exudes confidence in Ohio Senate race
By Edward Imbrogno
On a crisp autumn night in Westlake, the confident Republican candidate for Ohio’s 24th District State Senate seat, Matt Dolan, stood at the door to a meeting room in the Westlake Porter Public Library, warmly shaking hands with district residents and outside guests alike as he prepared to take the microphone alongside his opponent, Democrat Emily Hagan. Dolan took his seat and began his opening remarks, thanking the audience while giving a special mention to the students of John Carroll University who had come to see him in action.
Held on Sept. 27, the debate between Dolan and Hagan was a part of the Westside Chapters Candidate Night sponsored by the League of Women Voters. Both Dolan and Hagan answered written questions collected from the audience, discussing topics such as education, job creation and gun control with ease. A seasoned politician, Dolan was able to eloquently answer questions presented to him and expound on his political vision and mindset. The crowd at the forum was silent, as individuals from all age groups listened intently to what the candidates for the Ohio State Senate had to say.
Dolan has accumulated over 30 years of experience in public service. His elected positions include two-and-a-half terms in the Ohio House of Representatives (2005 to 2010, when he left his third term early to run unsuccessfully for Cuyahoga County executive) serving the 98th District. He was the chairman of the Finance and Appropriations Committee in his second term.
Now, after a few years out of office practicing law, Dolan is hoping to become the successor to incumbent Republican Sen. Tom Patton, who is ending his time in office due to term limits.
In a personal interview, Dolan stated that helping people has been the most enjoyable aspect of the positions he has held, including being an attorney and serving in the Ohio House. On the other hand, Dolan stated that he does not enjoy the business aspect of the roles he has played, including “meeting payrolls” and making difficult decisions when it comes to writing checks and allocating money. Rather, he most enjoys connecting with people, which is also evident in his relationship with his family, an important and central aspect of Dolan’s life.
Dolan’s family, he said, is what inspires him to create a community in which education is highly regarded and adequately funded. He wants his two children, Sam and Maddox, to do well in District 24, which is reflected in his views on education. Dolan noted how funding for education often flows away from the district and said it is important to create an education system that prepares youth for both higher education and vocational training.
With better access to education, more opportunities for solid job acceptance will become available to the future generations of youth, including his own children, Dolan said. He stressed the importance of linking higher education and vocational training in an effort to increase the knowledge future employees have of employers’ expectations. Everything from streamlining government to maintaining Lake Erie (two notable issues of his candidacy) can be linked back to improving the education system, Dolan said, not just in District 24, but also beyond its borders.
In addition to education, Dolan discussed numerous other issues in both his forum with Hagan and in a personal interview for this publication. Several of his ideas fit the mold of a Republican ideology. Dolan stated that he is proud to be a Republican, as the beliefs result in more independence in the community and in the individual. However, Dolan was not afraid to state that his ideas are not always the best and that sometimes, collaboration with those who have different views can lead to the “best route” in decision making.
In shedding labels such as political parties, Dolan hopes he will gather the support of a well-rounded majority of voters. This also seems evident in the numerous endorsements Dolan has received for his campaign, from people such as Senator Rob Portman and organizations like the Ohio Manufacturing Association.
Dolan also has the support of his own family name, which is well-known in the Cleveland area. The Dolan family is perhaps best-known for owning the Cleveland Indians baseball team.
“Name recognition is an important part of politics,” Dolan said when asked about this. “Once you recognize the name and voters do their research, I think they will see we [the Dolan family] are quality people. I am very proud of my name.”
Those who work for Dolan’s campaign also have expressed their pride in his family and his politics. Dante Giancola, Dolan’s head campaign manager, discussed in a question-and-answer format via email how strongly he believes in the campaign.
“Matt is a solutions-oriented candidate who has a sincere interest in the policies that affect Ohio residents — education, economic development, etc.,” Giancola stated.
“We have been in the era of what I call ‘professional politicians’ for several years now. These people — and both parties have them — have their professional identity tethered to their elected position and/or party name.”
Giancola said he felt so driven by Dolan’s sincerity and desire to create progress that he decided to take a job that had never appealed to him before, that is, being a campaign manager. “Dolan,” he said, “cannot be identified by his political party,” but rather by his professional accomplishments, involvement in the nonprofit community and the focus he has on his family.
“His identity is all those things first and then there is the political persona,” Giancola continued. Throughout the long hours, unpredictability and physical demands that come with being a campaign manager, Giancola said he always feels ensured that he is working for a cause that will create progress in the state Senate and the government as a whole.
In the candidate forum at Westlake Library, Dolan said he hopes to win this election in an effort to provide an enjoyable future for the community. This interest was echoed by his opponent, Emily Hagan, as both candidates shared their political visions. The packed room appeared engaged in the conversation between the two individuals, as Dolan and Hagan respectfully and articulately shared both their opposing views and their shared visions with the audience.
The tone, energy and sincerity of Dolan and Hagan was best summed up in their kind and enthusiastic handshakes at the beginning and end of the forum. It was clear that both candidates want nothing other than the best for their district, and that they will use their passion and experience to bring that about. Dolan, win or lose — though he stated that he hopes to run for reelection in 2020 — will continue to serve the public in ways that he believes will build a better future.
