Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Something's up over at Intrade. The betting site says that Sen. Rob Portman's chance of becoming the Republican VP nominee is approximately 16.5%, whereas a couple weeks ago, it was only about 7%. If any candidate can be said to be surging, it's Portman.
Intrade places Portman basically in a tie with Rubio, and it lists his chances as about double those of Chris Christie, Bob McDonnel, Paul Ryan, or Mitch Daniels - the next four most likely candidates.
Paul Begala, dubbing Portman the anti-Palin, predicts that Romney will select him as VP. Michael Barone, when discussing four likely VP candidates in his column yesterday, wrote the following:
Another possible choice is Sen. Rob Portman, who campaigned in Ohio with Romney. Like Romney, Portman comes from a family with Midwestern manufacturing-management experience.
But he’s also served in the House and as special trade representative and budget director. Plus, he’s had experience in presidential campaigns: He played Democratic nominees in debate prep for Dick Cheney in 2000 and 2004 and John McCain in 2008.
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Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Maybe. But did you see Rubio's slip on MSNBC? "Three, four, five, six, seven years from now, if I do a good job as a Vice President -- I'm sorry, as Senator, I'll have the chance to do all sorts of things," Rubio said today.
Has he already been tapped?
Dec '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
The selection of a running mate with Portman's financial acumen and experience would most certainly be in the best interests of the country during this particular time in history. We would certainly benefit from a double dose of fiscally literate candidates and of course, there are Ohio's 20 electoral votes.
However, as Mitch Daniels so astutely noted of Obama's 2008 election, "It was a fashion statement." Does the GOP need a little glamour to win in 2012 (Rubio, par exemple) or will the Republican and independent voters focus heavily upon economic issues? And what about the Democrats who may be leaning toward ABO? I, for one, find it impossible to predict.
Apr '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Diane Ellis, Ed.: Maybe. But did you see Rubio's slip on MSNBC? "Three, four, five, six, seven years from now, if I do a good job as a Vice President -- I'm sorry, as Senator, I'll have the chance to do all sorts of things," Rubio said today.
Has he already been tapped? · 8 minutes ago
He's a Mormon. Converted from thence to Catholicism, sure, but still way too sectional. If both parts of the ticket emphasize one thing (fiscal competency for Romney/Portman, for instance), that thing had better be a vote winner.
Dec '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Oy, I'm getting a headache. It's not that I think Portman is a poor choice. It's that Republicans keep repeating Clinton's tired 1992 campaign theme: It's the economy, stupid. Mitt Romney keeps saying this election is about "jobs." Great! And your just the man to make across-the-board cuts in the federal workforce then, eh? That'll be a winner with some minuscule portion of teachers, firefighters, SEIU members and their extended families!
No it isn't about jobs. It's much deeper than that. It's about culture. It's about a culture of prosperity, opportunity, and growth over a culture of equality (equal misery for all but the governing elite), dependency, and decline. C'mon!
If Republicans fail to make a moral case, to connect emotionally with American voters, to go to Ann McElhinnney's Finishing School for Conservatives, they'll lose to the guy who can. This is the reason Rubio is a strong pick. He's good at connecting. Unfortunately, he'd probably overshadow Romney in this way.
Go ahead, pick Portman for his economic chops. Whatever.
Dec '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
No truer words were spoken, even if the phrase was coined by James Carville. The more taxpayers fund government, the more power we relinquish and the less influence we all have on the social issues important to us as individuals.
To quote member Doc Jay: I think there are plenty of persuadables and they look at their wallets to decide.
Astute observation, indeed.
Dec '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
No one has been this interested in the VP pick ever except when McCain picked Palin. I think that bodes ill for the top of the ticket. Reagan could have run with his bathrobe and done fine. Bush ran with Cheney and did ok. McCain couldn't win with Palin, and now Romney has to find someone who will help drag him across the finish line. He could pull it off, but I'm not holding my breath.
Apr '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
He's ahead in the polls at the moment. People are talking about the VP pick because they want to talk about November, don't like data dredging, and don't have another non-data dredging November topic to talk about except dogs.
Reagan and Bush 43 both made excellent VP picks. If Reagan had chosen, eg., James Buckley, it would have been a much closer race; much of Reagan's electoral effort went into moderating his persona, and Bush was helpful with this. Likewise, Cheney made Bush seem less fresh faced; picking a less effective VP could have changed things a little, and decisively in Florida.
May '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Portman would be a very smart pick, and yes, he's the frontrunner imo.
The single biggest challenge Romney faces is OH, and Portman is that rare OH Republican who has managed to come through the Kasich Issue 2 fiasco unscathed. He's a serious man with a "down-home" vibe who's universally popular here -- in the burbs and in "Santorum Country", that latter area being Romney's weak spot. (For perspective, in 2010 when Kasich won election by 2 pts, Portman won by 18.)
"It's the Midwest, stupid", or maybe just "OH, stupid." Portman makes a lot of sense.
Apr '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Picking a VP is somewhat unlikely to make a positive difference to the election; it hasn't since 1960, possibly excepting 2000. It's not trivial, though. 2% in Ohio or Pennsylvania could easily make the difference.
VP picks are more likely, though, make a negative difference. Remember Thomas Eagleton in 1972, and think what the Edwards prostitution habit while on the 2004 campaign trail would have been like if it'd been uncovered at the time.
Apr '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Scott Reusser: Portman would be a very smart pick, and yes, he's the frontrunner imo.
The single biggest challenge Romney faces is OH, and Portman is that rare OH Republican who has managed to come through the Kasich Issue 2 fiasco unscathed. He's a serious man with a "down-home" vibe who's universally popular here -- in the burbs and in "Santorum Country", that latter area being Romney's weak spot. (For perspective, in 2010 when Kasich won election by 2 pts, Portman won by 18.)
"It's the Midwest, stupid", or maybe just "OH, stupid." Portman makes a lotof sense. · 2 minutes ago
I'm more Midwest. With Wisconsin looking increasingly good (the recall, to me, looks like it has coattails either way), and Pennsylvania within reach, it'd be mighty handy to have a greater than Florida sized margin of error.
Jun '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
I like Rubio and frankly if Romney picks anyone else I think its a mistake. There are two big reasons I like Rubio.
1. Rubio is the most attractive alternative with the most compelling story and the most articulate of any of the candidates.
2. Diversity is important even if its not your group that's represented.
May '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
James Of England: Picking a VP is somewhat unlikely to make a positive difference to the election; it hasn't since 1960, possibly excepting 2000. It's not trivial, though. 2% in Ohio or Pennsylvania could easily make the difference.
Funny thing about OH, James: We have an inferiority complex here.
Seriously, we'd be very flattered to be in the spotlight with the Portman pick, and there'd be a measurable reward for Mitt -- a "thank you" that might very well win him the presidency.
Shallow, I know, but on such attention and flattery history might swing. FL gets the convention; OH gets the VP; Mitt gets a point or two in each of the "big two".
May '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Terrell David: I like Rubio and frankly if Romney picks anyone else I think its a mistake. There are two big reasons I like Rubio.
1. Rubio is the most attractive alternative with the most compelling story and the most articulate of any of the candidates.
2. Diversity is important even if its not your group that's represented. · 3 minutes ago
Good points, both. I just worry the choice would undermine Mitt's main selling point: Vote for me and the adults will be in charge.
There are lots of good arguments for Rubio, but "He's manifestly ready to be president" is not one of them. Portman passes that test.
Jun '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Oh I think Rubio is a serious adult. I think he would be a excellent president tomorrow. But I'm not against Portman.
Portman or McDonnell just don't seem to be a better choice in 2012 to me. Either would be plenty competent and I would support either wholeheartedly, but they may not be exciting to other potential voters.
Edited on April 20, 2012 at 4:32amMay '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Terrell David: Oh I think Rubio is a serious adult. I think he would be a excellent president tomorrow. But I'm not against Portman.
Portman or McDonnell just don't seem to be a better choice in 2012 to me. Either would be plenty competent and I would support either wholeheartedly, but they may not be exciting to other potential voters. · 20 minutes ago
Edited 18 minutes ago
Didn't mean to suggest Rubio isn't an adult, etc. He's great. But he is, well, young. And relatively inexperienced. So at some level, there's risk -- or perceived risk, anyway.
But like you, I'd be on board with any of these people.
Nov '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
So I keep wanting to ask why no one mentions Bobby Jindal?
Jun '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Portman excites no one. Rubio is a rock star and a competent one. i would be seriuosly disappointed if it were anyone else.
Apr '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Scott Reusser
Funny thing about OH, James: We have an inferiority complex here.
Seriously, we'd be very flattered to be in the spotlight with the Portman pick, and there'd be a measurable reward for Mitt -- a "thank you" that might very well win him the presidency.
Shallow, I know, but on such attention and flattery history might swing. FL gets the convention; OH gets the VP; Mitt gets a point or two in each of the "big two". ·
If Ohio has a complex that could be fixed by having Presidents come from there, it would have been fixed. Ya'll are only inferior to Virginia in that respect. Still, I hope you're right about Ohio, and I hope Pennsylvania (one President to Ohio's 7, and that one Buchanan) doesn't have a chip on its shoulder.
Incidentally, the last ticket to feature Massachusetts and Ohio was Harding/ Coolidge, American history's biggest cutter + the Ricochet mascot.
Edited on April 20, 2012 at 8:22amMar '11
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Rob Portman is a good man and would be a solid choice. He knows his stuff and can articulate the right arguments about taxes, spending , and trade.
Although it does meant there won't be much excitement around the two on the ticket. Plus the genuine niceness of both will win out over putting the other side on the defensive (although the campaign and others could address this by indirect means).
The interesting thing is that he played Obama in McCain's training for the debates last go round. Apparently no one in the room ever knew what McCain would say in response to any question or in a rebuttle.
May '10
Re: Rob Portman: The Next Frontrunner for Republican VP?
Lucy: Jindal would be great, 1B to Portman's 1A. (And he's our #1 phenom longterm, ahead of even Rubio, imo.)