Portman was my congressman from the 2d district of Ohio before he became senator.
He was VERY conservative, and this is a very conservative district.
His days with Bush and then his son’s coming out either changed him OR he’s playing rope-a-dope until he gets in office.
He’s a very smart guy, a little withdrawn, and possibly a sleeper in the gop-e. He used to be very conservative. Seriously.
John Boehner, when he was first elected, was supposed to be a conservative radical challenging the establishment. There was a newspaper report on it. My, how they turn.
Rob Portman recently donated about $30,000 to the Mississippi Thad Cochran campaign which included the commercials that branded the Tea Party as being very fond of the KKK. The Portman money also helped with the purchase of inner city Democrat votes in the Republican primary so the wishes of true Republicans could be overcome. The Cochran campaign, which Portman supported in a big way, was the triumph of Alinsky style smear and deception against a good conservative. It was vital for Republicans like Portman that the people of Mississippi not get the candidate they wanted but rather the candidate Mitch McConnell wanted.
I live in Ohio. Rob Portman is anything but a conservative.
He is just a garden variety consummate insider now. I do not care what he used to be.