COLUMBUS (WCMH/AP) Republican state Sen. Matt Dolan has announced his bid for Ohio’s open U.S. Senate seat.

“After meeting with Republicans, conservative activists and community leaders across Ohio in recent weeks, it’s clear that the focus of the race for U.S. Senate has yet to be about our people, our interests, and our beloved state. This changes today with the announcement of my candidacy for U.S. Senate,” Dolan stated in a release.

The 56-year-old casts himself as a tough but pragmatic politician in the tradition of exiting GOP Sen. Rob Portman and the late astronaut and Democratic Sen. John Glenn.

Dolan’s family owns the Cleveland Indians.

Dolan would be entering an already crowded Republican primary, with author and venture capitalist J.D. Vance, businessman Mike Gibbons, former state treasurer Josh Mandel, businessman Bernie Moreno, and former Republican state party chair Jane Timken among the candidates seeking to replace Portman.

The current Republican Senator said he would not seek reelection in 2022.