Posted on 03/17/2005 6:22:02 AM PST by crushelits
President Bush has chosen Rep. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) as the new United States Trade Representative, according to an administration source.
He will replace Robert B. Zoellick, who is leaving to become the number two person in the State Department.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I will have to do some homework when I have more time to find out his positions.
Way things have been going lately I assumed it was Natalie Portman.
: )
Ditto that.
LOL! Ditto!
Who's doing homework on positions?
My lightsabre feels funny.
So do we lose him as a congressman? Who/how do we replace him?
Just got off the phone with Rob's office (he's my representative)!
Yes, we're going to lose Rob as a Congressman. According to the staffer with whom I spoke, after Rob is confirmed by the Senate, Governor Taft will be required to hold a special election within 90 days to fill his seat!
BIG loss for Ohio............big gain for U.S. trade.......
Any ideas who is going to run?
I think you will see the replacement more than likely coming out of the Hamilton County or Clermont County area, in the western part of the district.
There was a nasty State Senate primary last year in this area between two state representatives. Tom Niehaus, the current state senator, won that race. The loser in the race was Jean Schmidt, who according to some people from the area had ambitions for this seat. She has a problem from last year's race as she was exposed for being close to ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and his assistants, who are now under federal investigation.
I believe State Rep. Tom Brinkman is in this district, and he was endorsed by Portman for his seat last year. He is a pretty polarizing fellow. Nice man, firm and fair. Some people seem to be turned off by him.
Is there a county officeholder that looks at that seat? Joe Deters, the Hamilton County Prosecutor and former State Treasurer? He did have some problems in the state treasurer's office. Does he live in the district now? I know Greg Hartman, the Clerk of courts in Hamilton County, wants to run for statewide office. I don't know if he lives in that district. If he does, he probably will look at it.
http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/4293461/detail.html
Greg Hartmann does live in the district. He said he is considering. He was talking up Hamilton County Commissioners Pat DeWine and Phil Heimlich also. Strange, as Hartmann has announced for statewide office, yet the congressional race may be much easier.
I'm having lunch tomorrow with the President of the Young Republicans for Clermont County -- I'll let you know what he thinks relative to the special election!
Rob Portman is one of the most effective conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives and someone who could have become Speaker someday had he stayed in the House. I'm sure he'll make a great U.S. Trade Representative. Here's the White House press release on the nomination: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/03/20050317-2.html
Portman was someone whom I considered a likely candidate for the Senate someday, and perhaps for the Presidency or Vice Presidency (he was one of the few House members I thought might be selected as someone's runningmate in 2008). I wonder if Portman will seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, since he will not be able to run statewide in Ohio until 2010 at the earliest (there are no Senate or gubernatorial election in Ohio in 2008), and since a Republican will get elected in his heavily Republican House seat later this year and reelected in 2006. The sky's the limit for Rob Portman, and I'm sure his service as U.S. Trade Representative won't be the last we'll hear of him.
Is his district safe?
It's the most Republican district in the state, very safe. The name most mentioned at this time is Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine, whose father is a U.S. Senator.
I thought senator dewine was pretty liberal.
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