Does your state lean blue or lean red? Check out our new report, highlighting partisan control of state government from 1992-2013.
Rob Portman
| Rob Portman | ||
 | ||
| U.S. Senate, Ohio | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| 2011-Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2017 | ||
| Years in position | 2 | |
| Party | Republican | |
| Predecessor | George Voinovich (R) | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $174,000/year | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 2, 2010 | |
| First elected | November 2, 2010 | |
| Next election | November 8, 2016 | |
| Campaign $ | $24,349,171 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Prior offices | ||
| Representative, United States House of Representatives | ||
| 1993-2005 | ||
| Director, White House Legislative Affairs | ||
| 1989-1991 | ||
| Associate Counsel to the President | ||
| 1989 | ||
| Education | ||
| Bachelor's | Dartmouth College, 1979 | |
| J.D. | University of Michigan Law School, 1984 | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | December 12, 1955 | |
| Place of birth | Cincinnati, OH | |
| Net worth | $14,311,046 | |
| Religion | Methodist | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
| Personal website | ||
| Campaign website | ||
Contents |
Portman was considered to be a possible candidate for Mitt Romney's choice of a vice-presidential candidate in 2012, but ultimately was not selected.[1][2]
Career
Below is an abbreviated outline of Portman's academic, professional and political career:[3]
- 1979: Graduated from Dartmouth College, Hanover
- 1984: Graduated from University of Michigan School of Law, Ann Arbor, Mich.
- 1989: Served as associate counsel to President George H. W. Bush
- 1989-1991: Served as deputy assistant and director, Office of Legislative Affairs, White House Office
- 1993-2005: Served as Republican to U.S. Congress from Ohio
- 2005-2006: Served as U.S. Trade Representative, in the cabinet of President of George W. Bush
- 2006-2007: Served as Director, Office of Management and Budget, in the cabinet of President George W. Bush
- 2011-Present: U.S Senator from Ohio
Committee assignments
U.S. Senate
2013-2014
Portman serves on the following Senate committees[4]:
- Budget
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on National Parks
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Finance
- The Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy
- The Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness
- Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia
- Subcommittee on the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Programs and the Federal Workforce
- Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
2011-2012
- Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
- Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
- Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
- Budget
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security
- Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight
- Deficit Reduction
Issues
Presidential preference
2012
Rob Portman endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election. [6]
Fiscal Cliff
Portman voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by a 89/8 vote on January 1, 2013.[7]
Drones filibuster
On March 6, 2013, Senator Rand Paul (R) led a 13-hour filibuster of President Obama's CIA Director nominee, John Brennan. Paul started the filibuster in order to highlight his concerns about the administration's drone policies. In particular, Paul said he was concerned about whether a drone could be used to kill an American citizen within the United States border, without any due process involved. Paul and other civil liberties activists have been critical that President Obama did not offer a clear response to the question. A total of 14 senators joined Paul in the filibuster -- 13 Republicans and one Democrat.[8][9][10]
According to the website Breitbart, Portman was one of 30 Republican senators who did not support the filibuster.[11][12]
The day after the filibuster, Attorney General Eric Holder sent a letter to Paul, responding to the filibuster. Holder wrote, "Does the president have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on U.S. soil? The answer to that is no."[13]
Gay marriage
Portman reversed his long-held opposition to same-sex marriage in March 2013, saying it was spurred by his son’s disclosure that he is gay.[14] Though his shift has been welcomed by gay rights advocates as an example of how a family’s love can change minds, social conservatives have denounced Portman and vowed to block his re-election.[14]
Elections
2010
On November 2, 2010, Portman won election to the United States Senate. He defeated Lee Fisher, Michael L. Pryce, Eric W. Deaton, Daniel H. LaBotz, and Arthur T. Sullivan in the general election.[15]
| U.S. Senate, Ohio General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Rob Portman |
56.8% | 2,168,742 | |
| Democrat | Lee Fisher | 39.4% | 1,503,297 | |
| Independent | Michael L. Pryce | 1.3% | 50,101 | |
| Constitution | Eric W. Deaton | 1.7% | 65,856 | |
| Socialist | Daniel H. LaBotz | 0.7% | 26,454 | |
| Write-in | Arthur T. Sullivan | 0% | 648 | |
| Total Votes | 3,815,098 | |||
Campaign donors
Comprehensive donor information for Portman is available dating back to 2000. Based on available campaign finance records, Portman raised a total of $24,349,171 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 23, 2013.[16]
| Rob Portman's Campaign Contribution History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2010 | U.S. Senate (North Carolina) |  |
$10,868,382 | |
| 2004 | U.S. Senate (North Carolina) | |
$11,302,395 | |
| 2002 | U.S House of Representatives (North Carolina District 5) | |
$1,210,424 | |
| 2000 | U.S House of Representatives (North Carolina District 5) | |
$967,970 | |
| Grand Total Raised | $24,349,171 | |||
2010
Portman won election to the U.S. Senate in 2010. During that re-election cycle, Portman's campaign committee raised a total of $16,540,629 and spent $15,054,910.[17]
His top 5 contributors between 2001-2006 were:
| U.S. Senate, Ohio General Election, 2010 - Rob Portman Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $16540629 |
| Total Spent | $15054910 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $6391470 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent | $6356737 |
| Top contributors to Rob Portman's campaign committee | |
| American Financial Group | $126652 |
| Squire, Sanders & Dempsey | $104100 |
| Elliott Management | $90368 |
| General Electric | $66610 |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co | $65899 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Retired | $1100705 |
| Securities & Investment | $918761 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $778060 |
| Insurance | $723247 |
| Misc Manufacturing & Distributing | $571321 |
Analysis
Ideology and leadership
2013
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Portman is a "rank-and-file Republican".[18]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
2012
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Portman tied with one other U.S. Senator, ranking 33rd in the conservative rankings among members of the U.S. Senate.[19]
2011
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Portman ranked 35th in the conservative rankings among U.S. Senators.[20]
Voting with party
2011
The website Open Congress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Portman votes with the Republican Party 94.8% of the time. This ranked 8th among the 47 Senate Republicans in 2011.[21]
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Portman missed 5 of 582 roll call votes from Jan 2011 to Apr 2013, which is 0.9% of votes during that period. This is better than the median of 1.7% among the lifetime records of senators currently serving. [22]
Congressional staff salaries
2011
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Portman paid his congressional staff a total of $1,903,924 in 2011. He ranked 11th on the list of the lowest paid Republican Senatorial Staff Salaries and he ranked 13th overall of the lowest paid Senatorial Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, Ohio ranked 8th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[23]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Portman's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $6,465,093 to $22,156,999. That averages to $14,311,046, which is higher than the average net worth of Republican Senators in 2011 of $6,358,668. His average net worth increased by 62.54% from 2010.[24]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Portman's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $1,325,069 and $16,283,999. That averages to $8,804,534, which is higher than the average net worth of Republican Senators in 2010 of $7,054,258.[25]
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Rob + Portman + Ohio + Senate
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Rob Portman News Feed
- Sen. Rob Portman Says, 'Yes,' He Smoked Pot - ABC News (blog)
- Sen. Rob Portman targeted by gun control advocates after background check vote - Plain Dealer
- Ohio Sen. Portman wants to find out more on IRS - WKYC-TV
- Rob Portman Says Immigration Law ?Should Follow? State Law For Gay Couples - BuzzFeed
- Rob Portman Faces Heat For His Vote Against Background Checks - Huffington Post
- Rob Portman is not sold on ENDA - Salon
- House Speaker John Boehner and Sen. Rob Portman celebrate May Day with ... - Plain Dealer
- Pioneering health researcher turned anti-gay activist trolls Sen. Rob Portman - Salon
- Sen. Rob Portman pushes for new energy efficiency bill - WKSU News
- Sen. Portman: IRS will need special counsel - The Hill (blog)
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
Personal
Portman and his wife, Jane Dudley, have three children.
See also
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Fact-checking:
- Financial:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Legislation:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Works by or about:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
References
- ↑ Boston.com, "Mitt Romney chooses Paul Ryan as running mate," August 11, 2012
- ↑ New York Times "A Senator Who Knows Washington’s Ways" Accessed July 3, 2012
- ↑ Biographical Director of the United States Congress "Rob Portman," Accessed October 24, 2011
- ↑ Congressional Quarterly "Senate Committee List" Accessed January 22, 2013
- ↑ Rob Portman Vote Smart profile
- ↑ Cincinnati.com, "VP rumors start as Terrace Park's Portman endorses Romney," January 19, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Senate "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.
- ↑ CNN "Rand Paul says he's heard from White House after filibuster," March 7, 2013
- ↑ USA Today "Rand Paul filibuster ranks among Senate's longest," March 7, 2013
- ↑ ABC News "Rand Paul Wins Applause From GOP and Liberals," March 7, 2013
- ↑ Breitbart "AWOL: Meet The GOP Senators Who Refused to Stand With Rand," March 7, 2013
- ↑ Politico "Rand Paul filibuster blasted by Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham," March 7, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post "Eric Holder responds to Rand Paul with ‘no’," March 7, 2013
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 New York Times "Doubts and Downloads in Ohio After Portman’s Shift on Gay Marriage" Accessed April 5, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010"
- ↑ Open Secrets "Career Fundraising for Richard Burr" April 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Rob Portman 2010 Election Cycle," Accessed October 29, 2011
- ↑ Gov Track "Rob Portman," Accessed May 15, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," March 7, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," February 23, 2012
- ↑ Open Congress "Voting With Party," Accessed October 29, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "Rob Portman" Accessed April 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm "Rob Portman"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org "Rob Portman (R-Ohio), 2011," accessed February 22, 2013
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Portman, (R-Ohio), 2010"
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Voinovich |
U.S. Senate - Ohio 2011-Present |
Succeeded by - |
 |
State of Ohio Columbus (capital) |
|---|---|
| Ballot Measures |
List of Ohio ballot measures | Local measures | School bond issues | Ballot measure laws | Initiative laws | History of I&R | Campaign Finance Requirements | Recall process | |
| Government |
Ohio State Constitution | House of Representatives | Senate | |
| State executive officers |
Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Attorney General | Secretary of State | Treasurer | Auditor of State | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Director of Insurance | Director of Agriculture | Director of Natural Resources | Superintendent of Industrial Compliance and Labor | Chairman of Public Utilities | |
| Judiciary |
Ohio Supreme Court | Supreme Court elections | Courts of Common Pleas | District Courts of Appeal | Judicial Nominating Commission | Judicial news | Judicial activist organizations | |
| Transparency Topics |
Open Records Law | Transparency Checklist | Government corruption reports | Transparency Legislation | Open Records procedures | Transparency Advocates | Transparency blogs | State budget | Taxpayer-funded lobbying associations | |
| Divisions |
State |
List of Counties |
List of Cities |
List of Towns |
List of School Districts | |
