MOUNT VERNON – U.S. Senator Rob Portman’s (R-OH) recent announcement that he will not seek reelection next year was met with disappointment but optimism by Thom Collier, the chair of the Knox County Republican Party.
“I’ve had the honor of campaigning at the same time as Rob Portman,” Collier, a Knox County commissioner, said. “I’ve seen an individual who came to events early, met everyone in the room and would remember them months later. I will be sad to see Rob Portman go. I will miss him in the Senate.”
Collier believes the GOP will have no trouble maintaining the Senate seat next year.
“I appreciate that Rob gave plenty of notice about not running again,” Collier said. “Republicans turned out strong in Ohio during the presidential race. Ohio has been a hotbed for Republicans being elected statewide.”
Even though Democrats have only briefly controlled the White House and Congress, voters are already beginning to sense an “overreach” by the new administration, particularly in the energy field, Collier said.
“I think there will be more momentum for Republicans who will help balance that movement,” Collier said. “I think if we start to see gas prices rise again, that will put more fuel on the fire. There are few things that affect more people more directly than gas prices.”
Among the possible GOP candidates to replace Portman is Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), CBS News reported. (Editor's Note: Since the story was posted, Rep. Jordan has said he will not seek the Senate seat.)
“We’ll see,” the report quoted Jordan’s response to NewsMax TV. “I’m focused on my work on the Judiciary Committee...and this crazy impeachment trial.”
Portman cited the increasing partisan divide as a factor in his decision not to run again.
“I don’t think any Senate office has been more successful in getting things done; but honestly, it has gotten harder and harder to break through the partisan gridlock and make progress on substantive policy, and that has contributed to my decision,” he said in a statement released on his website. “We live in an increasingly polarized country where members of both parties are being pushed further to the right and further to the left, and that means too few people who are actively looking to find common ground.”
