Rob Portman exploring 2016 presidential run

[KamaAina]

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2014/08/28/rob-portman-running-president-2016/14752161/

Sen. Rob Portman is considering setting up a presidential exploratory committee that would allow him to raise and spend money for a White House bid, according to a source familiar with the Ohio Republican's thinking.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Portman has not made any final decision about his plans for 2016. But Portman's political confidantes have talked about what steps the Ohio Republican would need to take if he does decide to run for president, including setting up the special fundraising account....

Portman has raised $5 million for his Senate re-election in 2016. He could shift that money to an exploratory presidential committee and use it to build a national campaign operation.

Just this week, Portman visited a critical presidential testing ground—New Hampshire, which holds the first-in-the-nation primary. He has said that while he is currently planning to run for a second term in the Senate, he is also considering a White House run.

We could kiss Ohio goodbye -- and with it, the nation.

[brooklynite]

1. Always room for one more...

And as to your political analysis, no. Even if Obama had lost Ohio, he still would have won with Virginia and Florida.

[Kber]

2. Not sure he'd make it out of the Primaries

But if he did, he'd make a potentially powerful candidate in the General.

[femmocrat]

3. Seems like he is on the short list for VP every 4 years.

He seemed to disappear once he entered the Senate though. Let's see if he starts showing up on the talk shows.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Oh, him again. He'd have a much better chance in the DEM primary against HRC. Really.

[KamaAina]

5. DUzy!!

[greatlaurel]

6. The GOP 2016 primaries will be the battle of the Ohio finanacial titans, the Wolfes vs the Lindners.

Either candidate will be do whatever the Koch brothers want. However, the Wolfe family has promised the POTUS to John Kasich(R) governor of Ohio, running for re-election this fall. The Lindners own Sen. Rob Portman(R) Ohio body and soul. It will be very interesting to see which of these men end up the GOP nominee in 2016. All the rest of the GOP field really is a clown show, but the national media considers these two men as "serious" and completely ignore their massive corruption.

The national Democratic Party, for the last 40 years, has not taken Ohio politics seriously. The national elections have been negatively impacted by GOP governors and SOS much more often than the 2000 and 2004 elections. Ohio has been taken over by the most vile and corrupt thugs the GOP could dredge up. Our state resources are being given away by this current bunch of crooks at rates that should get national attention, but is being completely ignored.