X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, has restricted access to a post by Ohio GOP Senate candidate Matt Dolan after he posted a link to an op-ed he wrote for the Columbus Dispatch defending Israel’s right to defend its citizens against continued attacks from the Hamas militant group.
Shortly after Dolan shared a link to the op-ed on Friday, the social media platform limited the visibility of the post by restricting users from reposting or liking the missive. Dolan’s campaign team filed a formal appeal to X, his spokespeople told the Washington Examiner, calling it “outrageous” that the post is barred from being shared with the public while under review.
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“Israel is in a fight for its very existence. This is a defining moment to stand with our closest ally and speak truth,” Dolan told the Washington Examiner. “Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of Israel. They use children and the elderly as shields. Israel is not to blame. America is not to blame. I will not be silenced or have my voice suppressed by X or anyone else. Israel has a right to defend itself and destroy its enemies. America must stand with Israel.”
America must stand with Israel. Full stop. We should provide Israel with the support they need to destroy Hamas. I reject the naive and dangerous notion by the Left -- and even some within my party -- that we must end funding and support for our ally. https://t.co/GrbSS4Qpio pic.twitter.com/R0eMEeXAe5
— Matt Dolan (@dolan4ohio) October 27, 2023
The X post has been labeled with a “Visibility Limited” tag, arguing the post “may violate X’s rules against violent speech,” citing the social media platform’s rules of conduct. It’s not yet clear how long the post may be under review, and a spokesperson for X has not yet responded to the Washington Examiner.
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Dolan is running for Senate in the battleground state of Ohio, vying for the seat currently held by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who is considered to be one of the most vulnerable incumbents heading into the 2024 cycle.
He faces a crowded primary field of several other Republican candidates seeking to challenge Brown in the race that could determine which party seizes control of the upper chamber next year.