Frank LaRose announces U.S. Senate campaign

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose officially announced his candidacy for the United States Senate today by filing the required paperwork with federal election officials.
 
LaRose promised to run a campaign focused on restoring Ohio’s voice and values to the Senate, while highlighting his proven statewide leadership experience and conservative voting record.
 
“Like a lot of Ohioans, I’m concerned about the direction of our country,” said LaRose. “As the father of three young girls, I’m not willing to sit quietly while the woke left tries to cancel the American Dream. We have a duty to defend the values that made America the hope of the world.”
 
LaRose, a native of Akron and graduate of The Ohio State University, brings unparalleled statewide leadership experience to the Republican primary contest, having run successfully in four statewide elections – two GOP primaries and two general elections. LaRose won re-election as Secretary of State last year with more votes than anyone in the history of the office. He also received 100,000 more votes in the 2022 election than Sherrod Brown won in his most recent Senate race.
 
“I’m running against two former Democrats in the Republican primary and an incumbent senator who has one of the most liberal voting records in the Congress,” said LaRose. “I’m the only candidate who can point to a consistently conservative voting record. I’m also the only veteran in the race, the only member of the military and the only parent of grade-school kids. It’s time Ohio had a senator who lives like us, believes like us, and fights for us, and I’m not one to back down from a fight.”
 
Statewide polling shows LaRose with a commanding lead in the primary contest, even before officially entering the race. A survey conducted last month by Causeway Solutions found LaRose with a 13-point advantage over the two announced GOP primary candidates. He also enters the race as the only Secretary of State in the nation who earned President Donald Trump’s endorsement last year.
 
Background: Frank LaRose currently serves as Ohio’s 51st Secretary of State, a statewide constitutional office he’s held since 2019. During his administration, he’s earned national recognition for unprecedented efforts to bolster election integrity, while helping Ohioans incorporate a record number of new businesses. LaRose won re-election to a second term in 2022 with more votes than anyone in the history of the office. He previously served as a member of the Ohio Senate for two terms. A native of Akron, LaRose enlisted in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division out of high school and served our nation on the frontlines of combat and in other critical posts around the world, from Iraq and Kosovo to Morocco, Oman, and the U.S. southern border. Recognized for his leadership, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant at only 20 years old. He later became a member of the Special Forces as a Green Beret, earning numerous commendations and medals including four Army Achievement Medals and two Army Commendation Medals during his years of active service around the world. For his exemplary service in Iraq, he earned the Bronze Star. LaRose returned home to graduate from The Ohio State University. He lives in suburban Columbus with his wife, Lauren, and three daughters, Hadley, Ellie and Lainey. In addition to his public service, LaRose is a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he is a member of an Army Special Operations unit. When he’s sworn-in, he’ll be the first Special Forces soldier in history to serve in the United States Senate.