Posted on 01/12/2009 1:01:07 PM PST by St. Louis Conservative
Former Republican congressman Rob Portman will announce that he is running for the Senate soon after Ohio Sen. George Voinovich’s retirement announcement, according to multiple Republican sources.
Portman's official announcement is expected to take place on Wednesday.
Portman would give Senate Republicans an accomplished candidate who is likely to clear the primary field.
“He’s great on both policy and politics, and you don’t often find that combination,” said Hamilton County Republican party chairman Alex Triantafilou. “His experience in government, his experience in Washington and his understanding of Ohio would make him a tremendous force in the Senate.”
Portman would likely clear the Republican primary field, with other leading candidates unlikely to challenge him. A strong fundraiser from his days in the House, Portman is expected to have little trouble raising the millions necessary to mount a formidable statewide campaign. (He also has over $1.5 million remaining in his House campaign committee, which he can transfer over for a Senate race.)
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
It’s probably still going to be very difficult for Republicans to make any significant political gains in ‘10, especially in all of the “blue states”, IMHO. The MSM will, obviously, still blame any present Republicans at every political level, blame any former Republican POTUS, blame conservative talk radio (at least until the Fairness Doctrine is officially fully implemented), and blame conservatives in general, for any to all future problems on all issues. Truly amazing things and truly terrible things will actually have to happen on a variety of issues, in order for a serious conservative political “bounce” upwards to occur throughout the U.S. in ‘09 and beyond.
I don’t think the people of OH will support him either. He may not be what some conservatives think, for his ties to GWB reveal the truth.
Certainly that he was a Bush OMB director will be used against him. He wisely got the hell out of there quick. Possibly because he disagreed with huge spending which if true he needs to talk about.
Kasich has that more ‘independant image’ and can point to having a lot to do with the first balanced federal budject in 10000 (was it 30?) years. But there was his boring show on Fox and his love for Gary Condit. But I think he’d make a good Senator as would Portman.
I’d love to see Blackwell run if he loses the Chairmanship race. But would he be hurt by his 06 beatdown?
We certainly don’t need a bitter primary. I’d also like someone to stand against Strickland even though last I checked he has Frank Laushe popularity.
Winning downballot races like SEC OF STATE!!! and taking back the state house are vital for Ohio Republicans in 2010 or else redistricting could be painful.
I never heard about him being proamnesty.
I’m hoping he left as OMB Director so quickly cause he didn’t agree with Bush’s spending.
Elections are about turnout, especially midterms.
Best DINO kook of all time, though obviously a criminal while Sherrif. I clapped when he voted for Hastert. Even though I’m not positive what he believes. I think he was run of the mill before he went all anti-government. Very poor ACU ratings until 1994. I think he hated Clinton but still be voted no on impeachment. Very interesting character, hard to pin down.
Oooh, that's cold man.
I think Traficant is finished in politics. He’s got 8 months left until he gets out but I don’t see he running for office again. The D’s will pick another machine politician should Ryan run for the Senate. I wouldn’t be suprised to see Capri Cafaro run for the seat-she’ll move into Ryan’s district. I’ve always suspected that her father and family ratted Traficant out in order to get him out of the way so she could run for his seat-she tried it once and got her butt whipped, she’ll try it again.
“Obviously a criminal” while sheriff? He was acquitted in his federal prosecution despite not being represented by counsel (he was a non-lawyer and represented himself) by convincing the jury that he was holding his own sting operation when he allegedly was receiving bribes. His conviction as a Congressman was largely for the “crime” of getting his House staffers to join him in having some beers and scraping barnacles off his houseboat. I’m not saying that he was 100% on the up-and-up, but he probably got less of a personal benefit from the public fisc than 99% of “honest” Congressmen.
FREE JIM!
They’ve been blaming conservatives and Republicans since the beginning of time. They were blaming Bush the elder in 1994 too.
Thanks...I was just about to look him up.
He won’t be getting my support any more than Voinovich did.
In fact...if he runs, I’ll do my best to make certain his position on illegal immigration is known throughout my extensive network.
Those charges while he was in Congress seem trumped up. (Gary Condit being the only one voting not to expel him was priceless though)
I’m still suspicious about the “sting”. But whatever the jury believed him.
Sure he should be freed. He’s been in jail for years while criminal scum sit in the halls of power.
I wish he were DNC chair.
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