What should Rob Portman do in 2016?

[Senator Cris]

What should Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) do in 2016?

[GLPman]

The smart choice is to run for re-election, but I would love to see Portman as the GOP nominee so I voted for him running for President.

[eric82oslo]

It would shake things up considerably if a pro gay marriage Republican would run for the nomination - and one with significant gravitas in the Republican party as well (basically Romney's left hand) - so I would say this option.

[TDAS04]

Option 2 if he wants to stay in public office. 

[IceSpear]

I hope he runs for the presidency since he'd lose the primary and his seat would be open. But for his best interests, he should run for re-election.

[NHI]

I'd love to see him run, I think he'd bring an interesting perspective to the mix and in the unlikely event either Bush/Christie/Walker collapse he could fill the establishment void, but with that being unlikely he is better to run for reelection.

[Mister Mets]

If he wants to be President, he should run now.

There's currently an opening for a wonky business-friendly type, especially with bids by Jeb, Romney and Ryan so uncertain.

Republicans have a history of rewarding people who had respectable presidential bids with subsequent nominations.

He's also reasonably popular in his home state, and the Democratic bench is relatively weak. So, he should be able to return to the Senate if the primary doesn't go well. There are risks, as it could give another issue for a conservative primary opponent. And his odds of being President would be rather low, althogh the same is true of anyone in such a crowded field.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Resign

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

If someone like Cordrey, Strickland, or Ryan ran it'd force Portman to run for just one office (and possibly cost him both).

[The_Doctor]

Run for re-election, but I think he winds up tapped as our GOP VP if Martinez or Rubio isn't tapped. He's the perfect profile for a Republican vice presidential nominee. Unless the main criteria is minority or gender. That might complicate a Senate run (as we would need to field a new nominee in the middle of the summer).

[Mr. Morden]

It would shake things up considerably if a pro gay marriage Republican would run for the nomination -

John Bolton is pro-gay marriage, and is more likely to run than Portman, IMHO.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

If someone like Cordrey, Strickland, or Ryan ran it'd force Portman to run for just one office (and possibly cost him both).

Is Strickland popular in OH these days?

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

If someone like Cordrey, Strickland, or Ryan ran it'd force Portman to run for just one office (and possibly cost him both).

Is Strickland popular in OH these days?

Yeah, he was always been pretty popular, IIRC (and either way, he's certainly very warmly remembered by most folks here, despite Lebron's claims to the contrary).  He's easily the strongest potential recruit, but I doubt he runs since Portman and him are friends.

[New_Conservative]

The smart choice is to run for re-election, but I would love to see Portman as the GOP nominee.

[BaconBacon96]

Run for reelection and then run for president in 2020 if the Democrats are in office.

[LeBron]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

Nope, Ohio law doesn't restrict against running for two federal offices simultaneously (though it should), but Portman's already publicly stated that he'll only run for one federal office in 2016, and Ohio Democrats are holding him to that oath.

Obviously, I would love to see him run for President so that we could have a better chance at winning his Senate seat, but he'll likely just run for re-election.

The state Tea Party failed miserably to find someone to run against Kasich and even if the Tea Party finds somebody against Portman, Portman will still be favored to win that. Portman's slightly favored to win in the general as well. He's not as popular as people seem to think in our state, but money will do magic in Ohio and our Democratic bench just isn't ready for as big a task as taking down Portman. Gun to my head, Portman survives if he runs for re-election.

With the Presidency, he would just lose in the GOP primary. He would be discouraged to run from the start by the national GOP and by Kasich's Ohio GOP (who's more interested himself than Portman is), and if he does get in, his moderate views on immigration among all else could really be a disaster for him.

[LeBron]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

If someone like Cordrey, Strickland, or Ryan ran it'd force Portman to run for just one office (and possibly cost him both).

Is Strickland popular in OH these days?

Yeah, he was always been pretty popular, IIRC (and either way, he's certainly very warmly remembered by most folks here, despite Lebron's claims to the contrary).  He's easily the strongest potential recruit, but I doubt he runs since Portman and him are friends.

Didn't you just say a few weeks ago you thought that Strickland might run (despite already declining)?

Strickland's definitely popular here and all, but like Mike Beebe in Arkansas while he is our strongest candidate against Portman (or in Beebe's case, Boozman), he just won't run. He's just too old and I think he really likes his current job in DC, anyways. Ryan and Cordray are highly unlikely, to. Ryan won't give up his House seat to run statewide and Cordray as you said is eyeing the Governorship.

[NewYorkExpress]

Other-Retire.

He's not going to win the GOP Presidential nomination, and with his views on same-sex marriage compared to the GOP base, he's likely to draw a serious primary challenge in his Senate Race (similar to Sandoval and his abortion views), and a loss is definitely plausible.

[Suburbia]

Run for re-election to the Senate, although he will get a primary challenge from the more conservative wing of the GOP, and it may be a tough one, but he'll prevail in the end.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

If someone like Cordrey, Strickland, or Ryan ran it'd force Portman to run for just one office (and possibly cost him both).

Is Strickland popular in OH these days?

Yeah, he was always been pretty popular, IIRC (and either way, he's certainly very warmly remembered by most folks here, despite Lebron's claims to the contrary).  He's easily the strongest potential recruit, but I doubt he runs since Portman and him are friends.

Didn't you just say a few weeks ago you thought that Strickland might run (despite already declining)?

Strickland's definitely popular here and all, but like Mike Beebe in Arkansas while he is our strongest candidate against Portman (or in Beebe's case, Boozman), he just won't run. He's just too old and I think he really likes his current job in DC, anyways. Ryan and Cordray are highly unlikely, to. Ryan won't give up his House seat to run statewide and Cordray as you said is eyeing the Governorship.

Strickland might run, but he probably won't.

[Maxwell]

I hope he runs for the presidency since he'd lose the primary and his seat would be open. But for his best interests, he should run for re-election.

Unless Tim Ryan or some top recruit decides to throw their hat in the ring, I think Republicans have a good shot at holding the seat. They have a heavy bench in Ohio.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

Nope, Ohio law doesn't restrict against running for two federal offices simultaneously (though it should), but Portman's already publicly stated that he'll only run for one federal office in 2016, and Ohio Democrats are holding him to that oath.

Obviously, I would love to see him run for President so that we could have a better chance at winning his Senate seat, but he'll likely just run for re-election.

The state Tea Party failed miserably to find someone to run against Kasich and even if the Tea Party finds somebody against Portman, Portman will still be favored to win that. Portman's slightly favored to win in the general as well. He's not as popular as people seem to think in our state, but money will do magic in Ohio and our Democratic bench just isn't ready for as big a task as taking down Portman. Gun to my head, Portman survives if he runs for re-election.

With the Presidency, he would just lose in the GOP primary. He would be discouraged to run from the start by the national GOP and by Kasich's Ohio GOP (who's more interested himself than Portman is), and if he does get in, his moderate views on immigration among all else could really be a disaster for him.

His nay in 2013 was a rather big surprise based on his history in the House on the issue. On the contrary, Kasich's history in the US House is much different.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Does OH have a "Rand Paul" rule (i.e. no being on the ballot for two offices at the same time)?

Nope, Ohio law doesn't restrict against running for two federal offices simultaneously (though it should), but Portman's already publicly stated that he'll only run for one federal office in 2016, and Ohio Democrats are holding him to that oath.

Obviously, I would love to see him run for President so that we could have a better chance at winning his Senate seat, but he'll likely just run for re-election.

The state Tea Party failed miserably to find someone to run against Kasich and even if the Tea Party finds somebody against Portman, Portman will still be favored to win that. Portman's slightly favored to win in the general as well. He's not as popular as people seem to think in our state, but money will do magic in Ohio and our Democratic bench just isn't ready for as big a task as taking down Portman. Gun to my head, Portman survives if he runs for re-election.

With the Presidency, he would just lose in the GOP primary. He would be discouraged to run from the start by the national GOP and by Kasich's Ohio GOP (who's more interested himself than Portman is), and if he does get in, his moderate views on immigration among all else could really be a disaster for him.

His nay in 2013 was a rather big surprise based on his history in the House on the issue. On the contrary, Kasich's history in the US House is much different.

Portman has said he doesn't support citizenship, but rather a lesser legal status. He voted against because the bill had a path to citizenship, and because he didn't think it was strong enough on border security.