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Matt Dolan
Republican · Governor, Ohio
2026 General Election
Matt Dolan has served in the Ohio State Senate since 2017 and is a leading Republican candidate for governor in 2026, when incumbent Governor Mike DeWine is term-limited. He previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 and 2024, losing the Republican primary both times partly due to his refusal to endorse claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. His family owns the Cleveland Guardians Major League Baseball team.
Views on the Issues
Gov. Dolan’s stated positions alongside Democratic and Republican party platforms. Sources cited below each position. MyPolity does not editorialize.
Democratic Platform
Matt Dolan
Republican Platform
Economy & Taxes
Democratic Platform
Democrats support progressive taxation, with higher rates on top earners and corporations to fund public investment. The party favors raising the minimum wage, strengthening unions, and expanding worker protections. Democrats generally support government investment in infrastructure, education, and social programs as drivers of broad economic growth.Matt Dolan
Dolan supports lower taxes, deregulation, and attracting business investment to Ohio. He has emphasized workforce development and the need to diversify Ohio's economy beyond traditional manufacturing. He supports market-oriented economic policies and has been involved in economic development efforts tied to Ohio's growing semiconductor and logistics sectors.Republican Platform
Republicans favor lower taxes across income levels, with particular emphasis on cutting corporate and capital gains taxes to stimulate investment and job creation. The party supports deregulation, reduced government spending, and free market solutions over federal programs as the primary engine of prosperity.Healthcare
Democratic Platform
Democrats support expanding access to affordable healthcare, including protecting the Affordable Care Act and moving toward a public option or expanded Medicare coverage. The party broadly favors government negotiation of prescription drug prices and opposes removing protections for pre-existing conditions.Matt Dolan
Dolan supports market-based healthcare reforms and has generally opposed Medicaid expansion beyond its current parameters in Ohio. He has engaged on prescription drug pricing as a consumer cost issue and supports approaches that increase competition among providers and insurers to lower costs for Ohio families.Republican Platform
Republicans have generally sought to repeal or significantly reform the Affordable Care Act, favoring market-based solutions. The party supports expanding health savings accounts, increasing competition among insurers across state lines, and reducing federal mandates on coverage requirements.Immigration
Democratic Platform
Democrats generally support pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients, and favor comprehensive immigration reform. The party supports increased resources for legal immigration processing and a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers at the border.Matt Dolan
Dolan supports border security and enforcement-focused immigration policy. He backs stronger federal enforcement of immigration law and opposes amnesty programs for those who entered the country illegally, while supporting legal immigration pathways that address Ohio's agricultural and manufacturing labor needs.Republican Platform
Republicans prioritize border security and strict enforcement of existing immigration law. The party broadly supports completing physical border barriers, ending policies they view as incentivizing illegal entry, and reforming legal immigration to favor applicants with marketable skills.Education
Democratic Platform
Democrats favor robust federal investment in public K-12 education and higher education, along with policies to reduce or eliminate student loan debt. The party generally opposes using public funds for private school vouchers and supports universal pre-K and affordable childcare.Matt Dolan
Dolan supports school choice and parental rights in education, including education savings accounts and charter school expansion. He also supports workforce training programs that connect Ohioans to jobs in manufacturing, technology, and the trades without requiring four-year college degrees.Republican Platform
Republicans support school choice, including voucher programs for private and religious schools, and local control over curriculum decisions. The party generally opposes federal education mandates and broadly supports parental rights in schooling. Many Republicans oppose student loan forgiveness as unfair to borrowers who repaid their loans.Gun Policy
Democratic Platform
Democrats broadly support stricter gun safety measures, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The party frames these regulations as consistent with the Second Amendment and necessary to reduce mass shootings.Matt Dolan
Dolan supports Second Amendment rights and opposes new broad gun control legislation. He argues that enforcing existing laws and addressing mental health are the proper mechanisms for reducing gun violence, and has defended the rights of Ohio's significant hunting and sporting community.Republican Platform
Republicans strongly defend Second Amendment rights and generally oppose new gun control legislation, arguing that existing laws should be enforced more effectively. The party emphasizes mental health intervention, the right to self-defense, and opposes what they view as infringement on law-abiding gun owners.Climate & Energy
Democratic Platform
Democrats view climate change as an urgent crisis requiring immediate government action. The party supports transitioning to clean energy through federal investment and regulation, reducing carbon emissions across the economy, and meeting international climate commitments. Democrats generally oppose expanding fossil fuel development on public lands.Matt Dolan
Dolan supports Ohio's energy production, including the state's natural gas industry and nuclear power sector, and is skeptical of aggressive federal climate mandates he argues raise energy costs for Ohio households and businesses. He supports clean energy development where it is economically competitive.Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize American energy independence through domestic production of oil, gas, and coal alongside renewable development. Many in the party are skeptical of aggressive climate regulations they argue harm economic growth and jobs. Republicans generally prefer market-based energy solutions over government mandates and oppose restrictions that raise energy costs for families.Foreign Policy
Democratic Platform
Democrats generally support a multilateral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing alliances, international institutions, and diplomacy as the first line of engagement. The party broadly supports maintaining NATO commitments, providing aid to democratic allies, and engaging international bodies to address shared challenges.Matt Dolan
Position not yet available.Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize American sovereignty, a strong military as a deterrent, and bilateral relationships over multilateral institutions. The party broadly supports robust defense spending and is skeptical of international agreements they view as constraining American action or requiring open-ended foreign commitments.Social Security
Democratic Platform
Democrats oppose cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits and support expanding both programs. The party generally favors raising the Social Security payroll tax cap on high earners to ensure long-term solvency and opposes any form of privatization.Matt Dolan
Position not yet available.Republican Platform
Republicans support reforming Social Security and Medicare to ensure long-term fiscal solvency, which some in the party argue requires adjusting benefits or eligibility ages. The party opposes tax increases to fund the programs and some members have supported personal investment account options.Criminal Justice
Democratic Platform
Democrats broadly support criminal justice reform, including reducing mandatory minimum sentences, addressing racial disparities in policing and incarceration, and investing in community-based alternatives. The party generally supports police accountability measures and evidence-based approaches to reducing recidivism.Matt Dolan
Dolan supports law enforcement and public safety as core priorities. He has focused on combating fentanyl and drug trafficking, which have devastated many Ohio communities, and backs resources for law enforcement alongside targeted reforms to reduce reoffending.Republican Platform
Republicans emphasize law and order, strong support for law enforcement, and tough penalties for crime. The party generally opposes reducing mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenses and supports prosecutors pursuing strong sentences. Republicans broadly oppose policies they view as undermining police authority or creating leniency for criminals.About these profiles. Party platform positions are drawn from the 2024 Democratic and Republican national platforms. Candidate positions are sourced from official statements, voting records, and campaign websites. MyPolity does not editorialize or endorse any candidate.