CINCINNATI – Ohio’s Republican U.S. Senator made the bombshell announcement Monday morning that he would not seek another six-year term when his current term expires in 2022.
The state’s junior senator, from Cincinnati, once considered a potential vice presidential candidate, cited partisan gridlock and a lack of willingness to compromise on substantive issues as factors in his decision.
“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. 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. This is not a new phenomenon, of course, but a problem that has gotten worse over the past few decades.” – U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
Portman, who turned 65 last month, is among establishment Republicans who clearly struggled with supporting President Donald Trump.
But after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Portman said Trump had to bear “some responsibility” for what happened. He has said he wants to hear both sides in the Trump impeachment trial before deciding how to vote.
STATEMENT: Portman will not seek a third term in the U.S. Senate
“Over the past four years, Rob Portman has been one of Donald Trump’s biggest defenders, so his attempt today to rewrite that history is ridiculous,” Ohio Democratic Party chairwoman Liz Walters said. “If Portman wants to complain about the death of civility and the triumph of partisan gridlock, he should take a long, hard look in the mirror and think about what he wants to be his legacy. The truth is, Portman is looking at the same data we are — the Ohio Senate seat was going to be a hard road for him.”
During three decades in federal government, Portman has served in the House of Representatives, as U.S. trade representative, and the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
He was elected to the Senate in 2010 and reelected in 2016.
“Senator Portman has worked tirelessly on behalf of Ohioans during his two terms in the United States Senate. Senator Portman has been a key partner on helping Ohio with federal COVID-19 relief and other pandemic-related issues. Senator Portman and I have had similar policy priorities to help Ohio families, from tackling the Opioid crisis and the scourge of human trafficking to protecting Lake Erie and Ohio’s other natural wonders. Fran and I wish Rob and Jane and their family the best in their future endeavors.” – Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH)
“Rob and I have worked together on issues that matter to Ohioans, from protecting the health of Lake Erie, to better enforcing our trade laws, to helping Ohioans who are struggling with addiction. We’ve not always agreed with one another, but we’ve always been able to put our differences aside to do what’s best for our state. Connie and I thank Rob for his career of public service and wish him and Jane well.” -U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Portman said in a statement released Monday morning by his office that he was making his announcement now to give Republican candidates for the vacancy a head-start in preparing for the campaign.