Rob Portman

The seat of former state Rep. Jim Raussen (R-Springdale) has been filled for the remainder of this year by Andrew Ciafardini, director of Rob Portman's Ohio's Future political action committee.

Ciafardini ran unsuccesfully for the Republican nomination for Raussen's seat after the state representative retired for a government job. Sharonville Mayor Virgil Lovitt was nominated by the county party and subsequently lost to Connie Pillich (D-Montgomery).

Wednesday the Republican Senate caucus appointed two new members to fill vacancies for the remainder of the year.

Rob Portman defended John McCain and Sarah Palin's campaign for president at the Republican Governors Association meeting in Miami.

Portman, the former U.S. representative from Cincinnati and Bush administration official, toured Ohio with McCain throughout the campaign. At the RGA's press conference Wednesday, Portman stood by the choice of McCain for the GOP's presidential nomination.

MSNBC's First Read reports that Portman "insisted he was the best there was and was facing an incredible headwind" and also defended Palin's preparedness to be president after "an awkward pause...."

Rob Portman will appear at the country's biggest, most-influential meeting of the GOP this week in Miami: the Republican Governors Association.

According to the RGA's schedule, the former U.S. representative from Cincinnati will be on a press roundtable with Govs. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minn.), Jon Huntsman, Jr. (R-Utah) and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.

Portman also addressed the RGA during its June meeting this year.  

COLUMBUS – A new guard is set to lead Republicans for the next two years, the party’s incoming chair said.

Ohio Republican Party deputy chair Kevin DeWine made the remarks Thursday during a discussion of the Ohio GOP’s future following two elections of wide-ranging defeats for his party.

DeWine said he sees eight high and low-profile Republicans leading the party in 2010 during a press conference at party headquarters Thursday.

COLUMBUS – John McCain’s chief booster in Ohio, Rob Portman reacted to the projected loss of the state to Barack Obama.

“If Senator Obama wins Ohio it will be because of terrific grassroots efforts on both the Obama parts, but particular impressive turnout efforts on the Obama side,” Portman said, adding that he Republican turnout in the state will extraordinarily high.

The former U.S. representative from Cincinnati said the economy’s shape also contributed to the expected Obama win.

Politicker Photo

Joe Wulzerbacher and Rob Portman speaking last week

Former Bush administration budget chief Rob Portman took a few minutes away from campaigning Saturday to keep pressing John McCain’s argument that he’s the better man to handle taxpayers’ money than Barack Obama.

During a press conference call, Portman, a former U.S. representative from Cincinnati, said undecided voters he spoke to have a lot of concerns about Obama’s tax plans and about the economy as a whole. Portman continued the line of attack on Obama’s tax plan, saying he will raise taxes on those making less than $250,000, as interpreted from statements from Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Richardson in recent weeks.

“The point is that the tax plan seems to change on a daily, weekly basis,” Portman said, adding that Obama’s spending plan will result in higher taxes.

Rob Portman: Politicker PhotoRob Portman, one of John McCain's close advisors, revealed the tension inside the presidential campaign in the lead up to McCain's dramatic decision to suspend his campaign last month and tie his fate to the financial bailout bill which was then making its way through Congress.

The former U.S. representative from Cincinnati, who is McCain's chief surrogate in Ohio, was brought aboard McCain's traveling inner circle a month ago as a stand in for Barack Obama in McCain's debate preparation.

"I was there when he made that decision, and it was a gusty decision," Portman told PolitickerOH.com after a Tuesday visit to volunteers in Lewis Center.

Portman speaks to McCain volunteers Lewis Center on Tuesday: Politicker PhotoLEWIS CENTER - Rob Portman traveled to a GOP Victory center to boost morale among Republicans who being inundated with lackluster national polls for John McCain and a barrage of advertisements by Barack Obama.

Portman (R-Cincinnati) made the case to volunteers that McCain can win Ohio because of their get-out-the-vote efforts and the public's rejection of Obama's economic message. Despite being outspent in advertising, Obama isn't gaining traction, he said.

"If you turn on your TV, you'll see a lot of ads, but it's not working," Portman said. "If they're out spending us 4 to 1 and we're coming back in the polls nationally and winning Ohio something else is going on."

The Ohio’s Future political action committee, headed by former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman (R-Cincinnati), gave $8,000 to GOP candidates during the third fundraising quarter.

The PAC’s Federal Election Commission report shows contributions to attorney general candidate Mike Crites, state Reps. Bill Bachelder and Josh Mandel, state House candidates Bob Mecklenborg, Shannon Jones, Virgil Lovitt, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Maureen O’Connor and the Gallia Co. Republican Party.

During the last three months the PAC raised about $5,500. PAC director Andrew Ciafardini said Portman has been careful not to try to raise money for the committee while taking it away from other Republicans.

Former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman represented Republican presidential nominee John McCain on NBC's "Meet The Press" Sunday.

Opposite New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, who was representing Democrat Barack Obama's campaign, Portman defended McCain's condemnation of his opponent's relationship with William Ayres.

"I think what they've focused on is, two things: One is Senator Obama's judgment and second is his truthfulness," Portman told host Tom Brokaw. "I saw yesterday, there have been nine different explanations about his relationship with Bill Ayres, and when he met him and who he thought he was, and so on."