Rob Portman | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2018 | |
| Ranking Member of theSenate Homeland Security Committee | |
| In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Gary Peters |
| Succeeded by | Rand Paul |
| United States Senator fromOhio | |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | George Voinovich |
| Succeeded by | JD Vance |
| 35th Director of theOffice of Management and Budget | |
| In office May 29, 2006 – June 19, 2007 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | Steve McMillin |
| Preceded by | Joshua Bolten |
| Succeeded by | Jim Nussle |
| 14thUnited States Trade Representative | |
| In office May 17, 2005 – May 29, 2006 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Robert Zoellick |
| Succeeded by | Susan Schwab |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's2nd district | |
| In office May 4, 1993 – April 29, 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Gradison |
| Succeeded by | Jean Schmidt |
| White House Director of Legislative Affairs | |
| In office September 25, 1989 – April 12, 1991 | |
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Gordon Wheeler |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Hart |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Jones Portman (1955-12-19)December 19, 1955 (age 69) Cincinnati,Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) University of Michigan (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Portman on his proposed Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act of 2017. Recorded February 2, 2017 | |
Robert Jones Portman (born December 19, 1955) is an American attorney and politician who served as aUnited States senator fromOhio from 2011 to 2023. A member of theRepublican Party, Portman was the 35thdirector of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from 2006 to 2007, the 14thUnited States trade representative from 2005 to 2006, and aU.S. representative from 1993 to 2005, representingOhio's 2nd district.
In 1993, Portman won aspecial election to representOhio's 2nd congressional district in theUnited States House of Representatives. He was reelected six times before resigning upon his appointment by PresidentGeorge W. Bush as theU.S. trade representative in May 2005. As trade representative, Portman initiated trade agreements with other countries and pursued claims at theWorld Trade Organization. In May 2006, Bush appointed Portman the director of theOffice of Management and Budget.
In 2010, Portman announcedhis candidacy for theUnited States Senate seat being vacated byGeorge Voinovich. He easily defeated then-Lieutenant GovernorLee Fisher and was reelectedin 2016, defeating formerGovernorTed Strickland. On January 25, 2021, he announced that he would not seek a third termin 2022.[1]
After leaving office in 2023, Portman foundedThe Portman Center for Policy Solutions at theUniversity of Cincinnati.[2] He currently serves as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the Practice of Public Policy at theAmerican Enterprise Institute.[3] Additionally, he currently serves as an independent director atProcter & Gamble[4]
Portman was born in 1955, inCincinnati, Ohio, the son of Joan (née Jones) and William C. "Bill" Portman II. His family wasPresbyterian.[5][6]
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In 1926, Portman's grandfather Robert Jones purchased theGolden Lamb Inn inLebanon, Ohio, and, together with his future wife Virginia Kunkle Jones, refurbished it and decorated it with antique collectibles andShaker furniture.[8] The couple ran the inn together until 1969, when they retired.[9]
When Portman was young, his father started the Portman Equipment Company, aforklift dealership where he and his siblings worked growing up.[citation needed] From his mother Joan, aliberal Republican, Portman inherited his sympathy for theRepublican Party.[10]
Portman graduated fromCincinnati Country Day School in 1974 and attendedDartmouth College, where he started leaning to theright, and majored inanthropology and earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1978.[11] In Cincinnati, Portman worked onBill Gradison's congressional campaign, and Gradison soon became a mentor to Portman.[11] Portman next entered theUniversity of Michigan Law School, earning hisJuris Doctor degree in 1984 and serving as vice president of the student senate.[12] During law school, he embarked on akayaking and hiking trip across China and met Jane Dudley, whom he married in 1986.[13] After graduating from law school, Portman moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for the law firmPatton Boggs. Some describe his role there as a lobbyist; others say that such a description is inaccurate.[14][15][16][17] Portman next became an associate at Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP, a law firm inCincinnati.[18]
In 1989, Portman began his career in government as an associateWhite House Counsel under PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush.[19] From 1989 to 1991, he served as Bush's deputy assistant and director of theWhite House Office of Legislative Affairs.[12] While serving as White House counsel, Portman visited China,Egypt,Kuwait,Saudi Arabia and theUnited Arab Emirates.[20]
In 1993, Portman entered a special election to fill the seat of CongressmanBill Gradison ofOhio's second congressional district, who had stepped down to become president of theHealth Insurance Association of America. In the Republican primary, Portman faced six-term CongressmanBob McEwen, who had lost his Sixth District seat toTed Strickland in November 1992; real estate developer Jay Buchert, president of theNational Association of Home Builders; and several lesser known candidates.
In the primary, Portman was criticized for his previous law firm's work for Haitian presidentBaby Doc Duvalier.[21] Buchert ran campaign commercials labeling Portman and McEwen "Prince Rob and Bouncing Bob."[21] Portman lost four of the district's five counties, but won the largest,Hamilton County, his home county and home to 57% of the district's population. Largely on the strength of his victory in Hamilton, Portman took 17,531 votes (36%) overall, making him the winner.
In the general election, Portman defeated the Democratic nominee, attorney Lee Hornberger, 53,020 (70%) to 22,652 (29%).[22]
Portman was reelected in1994,1996,1998,2000,2002, and2004, defeating DemocratsLes Mann,[23]Thomas R. Chandler,[24] and thenWaynesville mayor Charles W. Sanders four times in a row.[25][26][12]
As of 2004, Portman had a lifetime rating of 89 from theAmerican Conservative Union, and ranked 5th among Ohio's 18 House members.[27]
One of Portman's first votes inCongress was for theNorth American Free Trade Agreement on November 17, 1993.[28]
Of Portman's work on the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, Pete Sepp of theNational Taxpayers Union said, "He set a professional work environment that rose above partisanship and ultimately gave taxpayers more rights."[25] Democratic RepresentativeStephanie Tubbs Jones from Cleveland said Portman, "compared to other Republicans, is pleasant and good to work with."[29] During the first four years of theGeorge W. Bush Administration, Portman served as a liaison between congressional Republicans and the White House.[29] Portman voted for theIraq War Resolution in2002.[30] He was known for his willingness to work with Democrats to enact important legislation.[19]
Portman has said that his proudest moments as a U.S. Representative were "when we passed thebalanced budget agreement and thewelfare reform bill."[25] As a congressman, Portman traveled toArgentina, Chile,Costa Rica, theCzech Republic,Egypt,Iraq, Israel,Jordan,Kuwait and Mexico.[20] During his time in theHouse, Portman began assisting prominentRepublican candidates prepare for debates by standing in for their opponents in practice debates. He took the role ofLamar Alexander (forBob Dole in 1996),Al Gore (forGeorge W. Bush in 2000),Hillary Clinton (forRick Lazio in 2000),Joe Lieberman (forDick Cheney in 2000),John Edwards (for Cheney in 2004), andBarack Obama (forJohn McCain in 2008 andMitt Romney in 2012).[31][32] His portrayals mimic not only the person's point of view but also their mannerisms, noting for instance that he listened to Obama's audiobook reading to study his pattern of speech.[33]
On March 17, 2005, Portman spoke at theWhite House during a ceremony at which Bush nominated him forUnited States Trade Representative, calling him "a good friend, a decent man, and a skilled negotiator."[34] Portman was confirmed on April 29[35] and sworn in on May 17.[36][37][38]
Portman sponsored an unfair-trading claim to theWorld Trade Organization againstAirbus because American allies in theEuropean Union were providing subsidies that arguably helped Airbus compete againstBoeing. European officials countered that Boeing received unfair subsidies from the United States, and the WTO ruled separately that they each received unfair government assistance.
Portman spent significant time out of the United States negotiating trade agreements with roughly 30 countries, visiting Brazil,Burkina Faso, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Mexico,South Korea,Switzerland and the United Kingdom.[20] During his tenure, he also helped to win passage of theCentral American Free Trade Agreement.[39] Portman used a network of former House colleagues to get support for the treaty to lift trade barriers between the United States andCosta Rica, theDominican Republic,El Salvador,Nicaragua,Guatemala, andHonduras. According toThe Hill, Portman took his wife, Jane, with him to theCapitol on their wedding anniversary so he could work on the deal.[40]
As United States Trade Representative, Portman attended the WTO'sHong Kong conference in 2005. He addressed the conference with a speech on development inDoha, and advocated a 60% cut in targeted worldwideagricultural subsidies by 2010.[41][42] Portman then sponsored a claim against China for extra charges it levied on American auto parts. U.S. steel manufacturers subsequently beseeched the White House to halt an influx of Chinese steel pipe used to make plumbing and fence materials. This was a recurring complaint and theUnited States International Trade Commission recommended imposing import quotas, noting "the economic threat to the domestic pipe industry from the Chinese surge." With Portman as his top trade advisor, Bush replied that quotas were in the U.S. economic interest. He reasoned the American homebuilding industry used the pipe and wanted to maintain a cheap supply and that other cheap exporters would step in to fill China's void if Chinese exports were curtailed. This occurred at a time when the U.S. steel industry lost $150 million in profit between 2005 and 2007, although China's minister of commerce cited the U.S. industry's "record high profit margins" in the first half of 2004 and continued growth in 2005. China next lobbied Portman to leave matters alone, meeting with his office twice and threatening in a letter that restrictions and what it called "discrimination against Chinese products" would bring "serious adverse impact" to the U.S.-China economic and trade relationship.[43] Portman vowed to "hold [China's] feet to the fire" and provide a "top-to-bottom review" of the U.S.–China trade relationship.[39] His claim that China had improperly favored domestic auto parts became the first successful trade suit against China in the WTO.[39] During Portman's tenure as trade ambassador, the U.S. trade deficit with China increased by 21 percent.[39]
On April 18, 2006, Bush nominated Portman forDirector of the Office of Management and Budget, replacingJoshua Bolten, who was appointedWhite House Chief of Staff.[44] Portman said that he looked forward to the responsibility, adding, "It's a big job. The Office of Management and Budget touches every spending and policy decision in the federal government". Bush expressed his confidence in Portman, saying, "The job of OMB director is a really important post and Rob Portman is the right man to take it on. Rob's talent, expertise and record of success are well known within my administration and on Capitol Hill."[45] TheU.S. Senate confirmed him unanimously by voice vote on May 26, 2006.[46][47]
AsOMB director from May 2006 to August 2007, Portman helped craft a $2.9 trillion budget for fiscal year 2008.The Cincinnati Enquirer wrote, "The plan called for making the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent, at a cost of more than $500 billion over the five-year life of the proposal. It requested a hefty increase in military spending, along with reductions in low-income housing assistance, environmental initiatives, and health care safety-net programs."[39][48] Portman is said to have been "frustrated" with the post, calling the budget that Bush's office sent to Congress "not my budget, his budget," and saying, "it was a fight, internally."Edward Lazear of Bush'sCouncil of Economic Advisers said that Portman was the leading advocate for abalanced budget, while other former Bush administration officials said that Portman was the leading advocate for fiscal discipline within the administration.[49]
On June 19, 2007, Portman resigned as OMB director, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and three children.[50] Democratic Chairman of theSenate Budget CommitteeKent Conrad expressed regret at Portman's resignation, saying, "He is a person of credibility and decency that commanded respect on both sides of the aisle."[51]
On November 8, 2007, Portman joined the law firmSquire Sanders as part of its transactional and international trade practice inCincinnati, Ohio. His longtime chief of staff, Rob Lehman, also joined the firm as a lobbyist in its Washington, D.C. office.[52][53] In 2007, Portman founded Ohio's FutureP.A.C., apolitical action committee.[54][55] In 2008, he was cited as a potentialrunning mate for Republican presidential nomineeJohn McCain.[56][57][58] Portman remained critical of theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, passed while he was out of office.[59]
On January 14, 2009, two days afterGeorge Voinovich announced he would not be running for re-election, Portman publicly declared his candidacy for the openU.S. Senate seat.[60][61] Running unopposed in theRepublican primary, Portman benefitted substantially fromTea Party support, and by July 2010 had raised more campaign funds thanDemocratLee Fisher by a 9 to 1 margin.[62] Portman campaigned on the issue of jobs and job growth.[63]
Of all candidates for public office in the US, Portman was the top recipient of corporate money from insurance industries and commercial banks in2010.[63][64] Portman possessed the most campaign funds of anyRepublican during2010, at $5.1 million, raising $1.3 million in his third quarter of fundraising.[65]
Portman won the election by a margin of 57 to 39 percent, winning 82 ofOhio's 88 counties.[66] In a 2010 campaign advertisement, Portman said a "[cap-and-trade bill] could cost Ohio 100,000 jobs we cannot afford to lose;" subsequently,The Cleveland Plain Dealer and PolitiFact called Portman's claim "barely true" with the most pessimistic estimates.[67]
The 2016 re-election campaign posed several special challenges to Portman and his team—it would be run in heavily targeted Ohio, it would occur in a presidential year when Democratic turnout was expected to peak, and both parties would bombard Ohio voters with tens of millions of dollars in TV, cable and digital ads for the national, senatorial and downticket contests. For his campaign manager, Portman choseCorry Bliss, who had just run the successful re-election of Sen.Pat Roberts in Kansas. Portman and Bliss chose to run whatTime magazine called "a hyperlocal campaign without betting on the nominee's coattails."[68]
As Real Clear Politics noted, Portman faced "the thorny challenge of keeping distance from Trump in a state Trump [was] poised to win. Portman, in the year of the outsider, [was] even more of an insider than Clinton ... Yet he [ran] a local campaign focused on issues like human trafficking and opioid addiction, and secured the endorsement of the Teamsters as well as other unions" (despite being a mostly conservative Republican).[69]
Polls showed the race even (or Portman slightly behind) as of June 2016; afterwards, Portman led Democratic ex-Gov.Ted Strickland in every public survey through Election Day. The final result was 58.0% to 37.2%, nearly a 21-point margin for Portman.
Chris Cillizza ofThe Washington Post argued that the context of Ohio's result had wider implications. "There are a lot of reasons Republicans held the Senate this fall. But Portman's candidacy in Ohio is the most important one. Portman took a seemingly competitive race in a swing state and put it out of reach by Labor Day, allowing money that was ticketed for his state to be in other races, such as North Carolina and Missouri ..."[70]
The Washington Post said "Portman took the crown for best campaign",[70] whileReal Clear Politics said, "Sen. Rob Portman ran the campaign of the year.".[71] Portman himself was generous in praising his campaign manager: "With an emphasis on utilizing data, grassroots, and technology, Corry led our campaign from behind in the polls to a 21-point victory. He's one of the best strategists in the country."[72]
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In the 112th Congress, Portman voted with his party 90% of the time.[73] However, in the114th United States Congress, Portman was ranked as the third most bipartisan member of the U.S. Senate by the Bipartisan Index, a metric created jointly byThe Lugar Center and theMcCourt School of Public Policy to reflectcongressional bipartisanship.[74] During the first session of the115th Congress, Portman's bipartisanship score improved further, propelling him to second in the Senate rankings (only SenatorSusan Collins scoring higher),[75][76] Portman's intellectual leadership among theSenate G.O.P., and his fundraising capabilities,[77] led to his being named the Vice Chairman for Finance of theNational Republican Senatorial Committee for the2014 election cycle.[78] In March 2013, Portman was one of several Republican senators invited to have dinner with President Obama atThe Jefferson Hotel in an attempt by the administration to court perceived moderate members of the upper chamber for building consensual motivation in Congress; however, Portman did not attend and instead had dinner with an unnamed Democratic senator.[79]
Portman delivered the eulogy at the August 2012 funeral ofNeil Armstrong,[80] and thecommencement address at theUniversity of Cincinnati's December 2012graduation ceremony.[81]
In August 2011, Portman was selected byMinority LeaderMitch McConnell to participate in theUnited States Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.[82] During the committee's work, Portman developed strong relationships with the other members, especiallySen. John Kerry andRep. Chris Van Hollen.[83] The committee was ultimately unsuccessful, with Portman left disappointed, saying "I am very sad about this process not succeeding because it was a unique opportunity to both address the fiscal crisis and give the economy a shot in the arm."[84]
Portman spoke at the May 7, 2011Michigan Law School commencement ceremonies, which was the subject of criticism by some who opposed his stance onsame-sex marriage.[85] He and his wife walked in the 50th anniversary march over theEdmund Pettus Bridge commemoratingBloody Sunday and theMarch on Selma.[86]
On January 25, 2021, Portman announced that he would not run for a third term in2022.[87] In a statement, he said he looked forward to "focus[ing] all my energy on legislation and the challenges our country faces rather than on fundraising and campaigning." He added, "I have consistently been named one of the most bipartisan senators. I am proud of that and I will continue to reach out to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find common ground. Eighty-two of my bills were signed into law by President Trump, and 68 were signed into law by President Obama." Of why he chose not to seek another term, he said, "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."[88]
Committee assignments[89]
Caucus memberships
Portman belonged to the following caucuses in the United States Senate:
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According to theEncyclopædia Britannica, while in the Senate, Portman portrayed himself as a "deficit hawk" and was "considered a centrist-to-conservative Republican" who has typically voted with the party leadership, although he broke with it on a number of issues, including same-sex marriage.[99] In 2013, Portman was several times described as staunchly conservative.[100][101] During the Trump administration, Portman was characterized as a centrist ormoderate Republican.[102][103][104][105] In 2020, Portman's former campaign manager described him as a "proud conservative".[105]Chris Cillizza, writing in 2014, described Portman as more governance-oriented than campaign-oriented.[106]
GovTrack places Portman toward the center of the Senate's ideological spectrum; according to GovTrack's analysis, Portman is the third most moderate Republican in 2017 being to the right ofSusan Collins andLisa Murkowski but to the left of his other Republican colleagues.[107] TheAmerican Conservative Union gives Portman a lifetime 79% conservative grade.[108] The progressiveAmericans for Democratic Action gave Portman a 25% liberal quotient in 2014.[108] The non-partisanNational Journal gave Portman a 2013 composite ideology score of 71% conservative and 29% liberal.[108]
According toFiveThirtyEight, which tracks congressional records, Portman voted in line with Trump's position on legislation 90.4% of the time.[109] As of October 2022, he had voted with Biden's positions about 61.8% of the time.[110] CQ RollCall, which also tracks voting records, found that Portman voted with President Obama's positions on legislation 59.5% of the time in 2011.[111] He was one of five Senate Republicans who voted with Obama's position more than half the time.[112]
Portman was considered a possible pick for vice president on theRepublican presidential ticket in2012.[113][114][115]Chris Cillizza wrote that Portman's time in both theexecutive andlegislative branches would qualify him for the role.[116]
AfterMitt Romney selectedPaul Ryan as his running mate, Portman spoke at the2012 Republican National Convention about trade and his family business.[117] On trade agreements, Portman stated: "President Obama is the first president in 75 years-Democrat or Republican-who hasn't even sought the ability to negotiate export agreements and open markets overseas. Now why is this important? Because 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside our borders. And to create jobs, our workers and our farmers need tosell more of what we make to those people."[117] In October 2012, Romney spoke at and toured Portman's Golden Lamb Inn.[118]
Portman portrayed President Obama in Romney's mock debate sessions for the general election, reprising a role that he played in the debate preparations of Republican presidential nomineeJohn McCain in2008.[119]
In March 2014,Larry Sabato of theUniversity of Virginia Center for Politics speculated that Portman might run for president in2016.[120][121] In October 2014, students from theCollege of William and Mary formed the Draft Rob Portman PAC to encourage Portman to run for president in 2016.[122] However, Portman announced in December 2014 that he would not run for president and would instead seek a second term in the United States Senate.[123]
Portman initially endorsed his fellow Ohioan,GovernorJohn Kasich, during theRepublican primaries.[124] In May 2016, after Kasich dropped out of the race and Trump became thepresumptive Republican nominee, Portman endorsed Trump.[125] After the emergence ofold audio recordings where Trump bragged about inappropriately touching women without their consent in October 2016, Portman announced that he was rescinding his endorsement of Trump and would instead cast a write-in vote for Trump's running mate,Indiana Gov.Mike Pence.[126]
In the 2020 presidential election, Portman supported Trump, in a reversal of his 2016 vote.[127] Portman maintained his support for Trump during theimpeachment proceedings against Trump for his conduct in theTrump–Ukraine scandal.[128] Portman said that it was "wrong and inappropriate" for Trump to ask a foreign government to investigate a political rival,[129] and that he accepted that there wasquid pro quo between Trump and Ukraine in which U.S. aid to Ukraine was on the line,[129] but that he did not consider it to be an impeachable offense.[130][129] Following theSenate trial of Trump, Portman voted to acquit Trump on charges ofabuse of power andobstruction of Congress.[131] Portman also opposed proposals to formallycensure Trump.[129]
Portman was the Ohio state co-chair of Trump's 2020 re-election campaign.[132] AfterJoe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and Trump refused to concede, Portman initially refused to acknowledge Biden as thepresident-elect of the United States, although he did acknowledge that it was appropriate forBiden's transition to begin and that,contrary to Trump's false claims, there was no evidence of irregularities that would change the election outcome.[133][134] Portman accepted the election results six weeks after the election, after the December 15Electoral College vote.[135]
Portman opposedTrump's attempt to overturn the election results,[136] and did not back a last-ditch effort by Trump's Republican allies in Congress toobject to the formal counting of the electoral votes from swing states in which Biden defeated Trump.[132] Portman said, "I cannot support allowing Congress to thwart the will of the voters"[132] and voted against the objections.[136] Congress's counting of the electoral votes was interrupted by a pro-Trump mob thatattempted an insurrection at the Capitol; Portman said Trump "bears some responsibility" for the attack.[136] AfterTrump was impeached by the House of Representatives forincitement of insurrection, Portman joined most Republican senators in an unsuccessful motion to dismiss the charges and avoid aSenate impeachment trial on the basis that Trump's term had expired and he had become a private citizen.[136][137] On February 13, 2021, Portman voted to acquit Trump on charges of inciting the January 6 attack on the Capitol.[138]
On May 27, 2021, along with five other Republicans and all present Democrats, Portman voted to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack. The vote failed for the lack of 60 required "yes" votes.[139]
On abortion, Portman describes himself as beingpro-life. He voted in favor of banningabortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.[140] Portman supports legal access to abortion in cases of rape and incest or if the woman's life is in danger.[141]National Right to Life Committee and the Campaign for Working Families, bothanti-abortion PACs, gave Portman a 100% rating in 2018;NARAL Pro-Choice America gives him a 0%,Planned Parenthood, which is pro-choice, gives him a lifetime 4% rating, andPopulation Connection, another pro-choice PAC, gave Portman an 11% rating in 2002.[108]
In 2013, Portman sponsored a bill that would have made it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion if doing so would circumvent stateparental consent ornotification laws.[142]
In July 2022, Portman voted for the SFC Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which would provide care for veterans suffering from diseases caused by burn pit exposure while serving overseas. He put out a press release celebrating his vote,[143] but changed his position when the House returned the final version of the bill to the Senate, and voted against it.[144]
Portman is a leading advocate for abalanced budget amendment.[145] Portman worked with Democratic SenatorJon Tester in 2012 to end the practice of government shutdowns and partnered with Democratic SenatorClaire McCaskill on an inquiry into the Obama administration's public relations spending.[146] Portman has proposed "a balanced approach to the deficit" by reforming entitlement programs, writing "[r]eforms should not merely squeeze health beneficiaries or providers but should rather reshape key aspects of these programs to make them more efficient, flexible and consumer-oriented."[147] Portman became known for his ability to work in a bipartisan fashion when working to pass a repeal of the excise tax on telephone service.[148] He also unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the surface transportation reauthorization bill to allow states to keep the gas tax money they collect, instead of sending it to Washington with some returned later.[146] On August 10, 2021, he was one of 19 Republican senators to vote with the Democratic caucus in favor of theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.[149] In October 2021, Portman voted with 10 other Republicans and every member of the Democratic caucus to end the filibuster on raising thedebt ceiling,[150] but voted against the bill to raise the debt ceiling.[151]
While still in the U.S. House, Portman co-sponsored theDefense of Marriage Act, a bill passed in 1996 that banned federal recognition ofsame-sex marriage;[152] in 1999, he voted for a measure prohibiting same-sex couples in Washington D.C. from adopting children.[153] On March 14, 2013, Portman publicly announced that he had changed his stance onsame-sex marriage, and now supported its legalization,[154][155][156] becoming the first sitting Republican U.S. senator to do so.[157] The change came two years after his son Willcame out to Portman and his wife as gay in 2011.[158] TheHuman Rights Campaign (HRC), which supports same-sex marriage and gay rights, gave Portman a 45% score in 2014 and an 85% score in 2016; the HRC also gives Portman a 100% rating for sharing its position on same-sex marriage.[108]
In November 2013, Portman was one of 10 Republican senators to vote for theEmployment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), after the Senate adopted an amendment he proposed to expand religious protections.[159]
After the House passeda bill to federally protect gay marriage on July 19, 2022,[160] a press spokesman for Portman said he would cosponsor the bill in the Senate.[161] He cosponsored the bill the following day.[162] He was one of 12 Republicans in the Senate voting to advance and pass theRespect for Marriage Act, the legislation protecting federalsame-sex marriage rights into federal law.[163]
Portman voted for reauthorization of theViolence Against Women Act in 2013.[164]
In 2011, Portman voted to limit the government's ability to regulategreenhouse gas emissions, and in 2015, he voted to block theClean Power Plan.[165][166] In 2013, he voted for a point of order opposing acarbon tax or a fee on carbon emissions.[167] In 2012, Portman said he wanted more oil drilling on public lands.[168] Portman supported development of theKeystone XL pipeline, stating "The arguments when you line them up are too strong not to do this. I do think that at the end of the day the president [Obama] is going to go ahead with this."[169]
In 2013, Portman co-sponsored a bill that would reauthorize and modify the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 and wouldauthorize theappropriation of $20.5 million annually through 2018 for theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to mitigate the harmful effects ofalgal blooms andhypoxia.[170][171]
Portman co-sponsored an amendment to the 2017 Energy Bill that acknowledged thatclimate change is real and human activitycontributes to the problem.[172]
Portman opposes U.S. ratification of theConvention on the Law of the Sea.[173]
In March 2016, Portman authored thebipartisan billCountering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, along with Democratic SenatorChris Murphy.[174] CongressmanAdam Kinzinger introduced the U.S. House version of the bill.[175] After the2016 U.S. presidential election, worries grew thatRussian propaganda on social media spread and organized by theRussian government swayed the outcome of the election,[176] and representatives in theU.S. Congress took action to safeguard theNational security of the United States by advancing legislation to monitor incoming propaganda from external threats.[174][177] On November 30, 2016, legislators approved a measure within theNational Defense Authorization Act to ask theU.S. State Department to take action against foreign propaganda through an interagency panel.[174][177] The legislation authorized funding of $160 million over a two-year-period.[174] The initiative was developed through the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act.[174]
In 2018 Portman and SenatorBen Cardin co-authored theIsrael Anti-Boycott Act, which would make it illegal for companies to engage inboycotts against Israel orIsraeli settlements in the occupiedPalestinian territories. They promoted the bill and sought to integrate it into omnibus spending legislation to be signed by Trump.[178][179][180]
Portman supportedfree trade agreements with Central America,Australia,Chile andSingapore, voted against withdrawing from theWorld Trade Organization, and was hailed by Bush for his "great record as a champion of free and fair trade."[181][182]
Portman has repeatedly supported legislation to treat currency manipulation by countries as an unfair trade practice and to impose duties on Chinese imports if China does not stop the practice.[183] In 2016, Portman opposed theTrans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement because he said it does not address currency manipulation and includes less-strict country-of-origin rules for auto parts.[184] In April 2015, Portman co-sponsored an amendment toTrade Promotion Authority legislation which would require the Obama administration to seek enforceable rules to prevent currency manipulation by trade partners as part of TPP.[185]
In January 2018, Portman was one of 36 Republican senators who asked Trump to preserve theNorth American Free Trade Agreement.[186]
In November 2018, Portman was one of 12 Republican senators to sign a letter to Trump requesting theUnited States-Mexico-Canada Agreement be submitted to Congress by the end of the month to allow a vote on it before the end of the year; the letter-writers cited concerns that "passage of the USMCA as negotiated will become significantly more difficult" if it had to be approved through the incoming116th Congress, in which there was a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.[187]
Portman has an "A" rating from theNRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF), which has endorsed Portman in past elections.[188][189] According toOpenSecrets, the NRA spent $3.06 million to support Portman between 1990 and 2018.[190]
In 2019, Portman was one of 31 Republican senators to cosponsor the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill introduced by SenatorsJohn Cornyn andTed Cruz that would allow personsconcealed carry privileges in their home state to also carry concealed weapons in other states.[191]
In 2022, Portman became one of ten Republican senators to support a bipartisan agreement on gun control, which included a red flag provision, a support for state crisis intervention orders, funding for school safety resources, stronger background checks for buyers under the age of 21, and penalties for straw purchases.[192]
Portman has worked to repeal and replace theAffordable Care Act.[193] In 2017, he voted to repeal it.[194] He opposed steep cuts toMedicaid because the expansion of the program had allowed some Ohioans to gain coverage, including some impacted by Ohio'sopioid crisis.[195] As a member of a group of 13 Republican senators tasked with writing aSenate version of the AHCA,[196] he supported proposed cuts to Medicaid that would be phased in over seven years.[197][198]
In June 2018, Portman was one of 13 Republican senators to sign a letter to Attorney GeneralJeff Sessions requesting a moratorium on theTrump administration family separation policy while Congress drafted legislation.[199] In March 2019, he was one of a dozen Republicans who broke with their party, joining all Democrats, to vote for a resolution rejecting Trump's use of an emergency declaration to build a border wall.[200] He later co-sponsored a bill to provide for congressional approval of national emergency declarations.[201]
Portman opposed Trump's Muslim ban, saying the executive order was not "properly vetted" and that he supported the federal judges who blocked its implementation.[202]
In 2014, Portman voted against reauthorizing long-term unemployment benefits to 1.7 million jobless Americans. He expressed concern about the inclusion of a provision in the bill that would allow companies to make smaller contributions to employee pension funds.[203] In April 2014 Portman voted to extend federal funding for unemployment benefits. Federal funding had been initiated in 2008 and expired at the end of 2013.[204]
In 2014, Portman opposed theMinimum Wage Fairness Act, a bill to phase in, over two years, an increase in the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.[205] The bill was strongly supported by PresidentBarack Obama and congressional Democrats, but strongly opposed by congressional Republicans.[206][207][208]
In 2015, Portman voted for an amendment to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to allow employees to earn paid sick time.[209]
In September 2018, Portman said he would support Trump'snomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, saying, "The Brett Kavanaugh I know is a man of integrity and humility". Portman did not call for an investigation by the FBI for sexual assault allegations.[210]
In September 2020, Portman supported a vote on Trump's nominee to fill the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy left by thedeath of Ruth Bader Ginsburg less than six weeks before the 2020 presidential election. In April 2016, Portman said that Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court, who was nominated eight months before the election, should not be considered by the Senate, as it was "a very partisan year and a presidential election year ... it's better to have this occur after we're past this presidential election."[211]
Portman has been involved in efforts to end human trafficking.[99] As a member of thePermanent Subcommittee on Investigations, he began investigating sex trafficking in 2015. The investigation found that classified advertising websiteBackpage was aware that the website was being used to sell young girls for sex. Portman sponsored theStop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, which clarified sex trafficking laws to make it illegal to knowingly assist, facilitate, or support sex trafficking. SESTA was passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump in April 2018.[212]
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WhenJoe Biden was declared the winner of the2020 presidential election, Portman was one of the few Republicans to say that he would certify theelectoral college vote.[citation needed] During Trump's secondimpeachment trial, Portman said, "I will keep an open mind when deciding whether to convict".[citation needed] He ultimately voted not guilty, but said, "Trump's comments leading up to the Capitol attack were partly responsible for the violence".[citation needed]
Portman was one of the main senators involved in crafting the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan that passed the Senate in August 2021.[citation needed]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rob Portman | 667,369 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 667,369 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rob Portman | 2,168,742 | 56.85% | −6.61% | |
| Democratic | Lee Fisher | 1,503,297 | 39.40% | +2.85% | |
| Constitution | Eric Deaton | 65,856 | 1.72% | N/A | |
| Independent | Michael Pryce | 50,101 | 1.31% | N/A | |
| Socialist | Daniel LaBotz | 26,454 | 0.69% | N/A | |
| write-in | Arthur Sullivan | 648 | 0.02% | N/A | |
| Majority | 665,445 | 17.44% | |||
| Total votes | 3,815,098 | 100.00% | |||
| Republicanhold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rob Portman (incumbent) | 1,336,686 | 82.16% | |
| Republican | Don Eckhart | 290,268 | 17.84% | |
| Total votes | 1,626,954 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rob Portman (incumbent) | 3,118,567 | 58.03% | +1.18% | |
| Democratic | Ted Strickland | 1,996,908 | 37.16% | −2.24% | |
| Independent | Tom Connors | 93,041 | 1.73% | N/A | |
| Green | Joseph R. DeMare | 88,246 | 1.64% | N/A | |
| Independent | Scott Rupert | 77,291 | 1.44% | N/A | |
| write-in | James Stahl | 111 | 0.00% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 5,374,164 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
| Republicanhold | |||||
Portman married Jane Dudley in July 1986.[10] Dudley, who previously worked forDemocratic CongressmanTom Daschle, "agreed to become a Republican when her husband agreed to become aMethodist."[217] The Portmans attendchurch services at Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church.[218][219] The Portmans have three children.[10] Portman still owns the Golden Lamb Inn with his brother Wym Portman and sister Ginna Portman Amis.[220] In 2004, aDutchconglomerate purchased the Portman Equipment Company. Portman had researched the firm's local acquisitions, stating "It's a concept I've heard described as 'Glocalism.' All these companies are trying to achieve economies of scale. This lets us develop a network and coverage globally. But you can still have the local spirit, the local name and the customer intimacy to accomplish great things."[221] A July 2012 article about Portman stated that in 40 years, his only citation has been a traffic ticket for an improper turn while driving.[222] Portman is an avid kayaker, is fluent in Spanish, and enjoys bike rides.[11][223]
In December 2004, Portman and Cheryl Bauer published a book on the 19th-centuryShaker community atUnion Village, inTurtlecreek Township, Warren County, Ohio. The book was titledWisdom's Paradise: The Forgotten Shakers of Union Village.[224]
On August 23, 2022, Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Portman theOrder of Merit, first class, "For significant personal merits in strengthening interstate cooperation, support of state sovereignty and territorial integrity ofUkraine, and significant contribution to the popularization of the Ukrainian state in the world."[225] TheUkrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) honored Portman with several awards during his Senate tenure, including the Friend of UNIS Ukrainian Democracy Award in 2014, the Sevchenko Freedom Award in 2016, and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.[226] In 2022, he received the Star of Ukraine Award from the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation and the Appreciation Award from the United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio.[227][228]
| Year Received | Award | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Special Congressional Appreciation Award | Small Business Council of America[229] |
| 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 | Hero of Main Street | National Retail Federation (NRF)[230] |
| 2014 | Margaret Mead Award | International Community Corrections Association (ICCA)[231] |
| 2014 | ABA Justice Award | American Bar Association[232] |
| 2015 | Everyday Freedom Hero | National Underground Railroad Freedom Center |
| 2015 | President's Partnering for Quality Award | Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities[233] |
| 2015 | Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award | National Park Trust[234] |
| 2015 | Distinguished Service Award | Tax Foundation[235] |
| 2016 | Ohio Liberator Award | Save our Adolescents from Prostitution (S.O.A.P.)[236] |
| 2016 | Major General Charles Dick Award for Legislation Excellence | National Guard Association of the United States[237] |
| 2017 | Jefferson-Lincoln Award | Panetta Institute for Public Policy[238] |
| 2017 | Spirit of Enterprise Award | U.S. Chamber of Commerce[239] |
| 2018 | Congressional Award | American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) |
| 2021 | Champion of Retirement Security Award | Insured Retirement Institute[240] |
| 2022 | Ohio History Leadership Award | Ohio History Connection[241] |
| 2022 | National Order, Gran Cruz (Great Cross) | Embassy of Colombia[242] |
| 2022 | Rob Portman Public Service Leadership Award | Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber[243] |
| 2022 | Lifetime Achievement Award | Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)[244] |
| 2024 | Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire | United Kingdom Government[245] |
Ukraine'He was not in any classic or normal sense a lobbyist,' said Stuart M. Pape, a Patton Boggs partner who supervised Portman.
[Portman has] been a leading Republican voice on economic issues for four decades...the prominent Ohio conservative...Though he is a staunch conservative, Portman
Portman is not only a staunch conservative but also an important member of the Republican Party establishment
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gordon Wheeler | White House Director of Legislative Affairs 1989–1991 | Succeeded by Stephen Hart |
| Preceded by | United States Trade Representative 2005–2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Director of theOffice of Management and Budget 2006–2007 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's 2nd congressional district 1993–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Vacant Title last held by Bill Paxon1997 | Chair of House Republican Leadership 2001–2005 | Vacant Title next held by Greg Walden2010 |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forU.S. Senator fromOhio (Class 3) 2010,2016 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Ohio 2011–2023 Served alongside:Sherrod Brown | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ranking Member of theSenate Homeland Security Committee 2021–2023 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Senator | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Senator | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Senator |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
