Sen. Rob Portman will not run for president, he said Tuesday.
After briefly flirting with the idea of a presidential bid this year, the Ohio Republican said he is now “excited about continuing to serve” in the Senate and will instead pursue that path by seeking re-election in 2016.
“With the new Republican majority, I see a real opportunity over the next two years to break the gridlock in Washington and actually get things done to help Ohioans and all Americans,” Portman said in a statement Tuesday. “That’s where I believe I can play the most constructive role.”
“I don’t think I can run for president and be an effective senator at the same time,” he added.
In his role as finance chairman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Portman traveled a few times this year to key presidential primary states, stumping for Scott Brown in New Hampshire and Joni Ernst in Iowa.
But those trips, plus a few interviews with media, were the extent of Portman’s presidential water-testing. While Portman was candid about weighing a bid for president, he did not begin to assemble a team behind the scenes, nor did he engage in serious conversations with donors or party power-brokers about a campaign.
Had Portman decided to run for president, he would have run up against a deep Republican primary field, which could include former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Rand Paul, among others.
Portman would have also needed to contend with his own low national name I.D. In a recent CNN/ORC poll, 52 percent of respondents said they had “never heard of” Portman.
But Portman, who hails from an important presidential battleground state, could still be a prime pick for a vice presidential running mate once Republicans pick their nominee. Viewed as a moderate lawmaker, Portman made waves two years ago as the first Republican senator to come out in favor of gay marriage, citing his own gay son.
However, Portman could have a different race to worry about in 2016, when he’s up for re-election to the Senate. Ohio will be prime territory on the map of Senate battlegrounds for Democrats to mount a competitive challenge.
