Dear Friends:
February has been a busy and productive month for Portman for U.S. Senate. We hit the ground running after our 6 city announcement tour on January 14th and now we are moving full speed ahead. We are reaching out to as many Ohioans as we can with our positive message on how to bring back jobs and the economy and address issues like healthcare and home foreclosures.
I continue to be encouraged by the outpouring of support we are receiving from folks across the state. 80% of our Republican State Senators, 95% of Ohio House Members, 75% of Republican County Chairs and nearly 75% of the members of the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee have endorsed my U.S. Senate candidacy.
As you may know, February and March is historically GOP Lincoln Day dinner time in communities throughout Ohio. To date, I've spoken at Lincoln Day dinners in Warren County (2/12), Hamilton County (2/13), Montgomery County (2/18), Fairfield County (2/19) and Wayne County (2/20).
In the coming weeks, I'll hit the road to speak at many more, including Butler, Franklin, Wood and Belmont counties, to name a few. Jane addressed the audience at the Clermont Lincoln Day dinner (2/20), and did such a great job that we'll be sending her out often in the weeks and months to come as my number one surrogate!
And for those Lincoln Day dinners that neither Jane nor I can attend personally, we have Portman for Senate volunteers who have graciously stepped up to represent us and share our message.
I'd like to share an article below from a recent meeting with business and community leaders in Ashland, Ohio. I have also included a few other news articles. As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions and insights.
All best,
Rob
NEWS UPDATE
Times-Gazette.com
"Portman touts Senate run"
By TRAVIS MINNEAR
T-G Staff Writer
Rob Portman said Friday he's ready to run against any candidate who comes between him and his quest to become a U.S. Senator.
The Republican is seeking his party's nomination to succeed Sen. George Voinovich, who will not seek re-election when his term expires in 2010.
Portman came to Ashland to meet with local officials and business leaders. The meeting, which was not open to the public, took place at Hospice of North Central Ohio.
Representatives from Samaritan Hospital, Ashland City Schools, the city and county and local businesses attended. The function was an Ashland County Republican Party event.
Portman, a former U.S. representative from Cincinnati who held two key positions in former President George W. Bush's administration, said he has had strong support since announcing his candidacy last month.
He said he is prepared to go against either of the early Democratic candidates. Earlier this month, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher both announced interest in running for Voinovich's seat.
"We will be ready for whoever the Democrat is," Portman said after the meeting.
While meeting with community members, Portman said he was trying to "get a better feel for what people are concerned about." On the economy, Portman said he agrees that an economic stimulus package is necessary but said the recently passed $787 billion bill would not develop new employment opportunities.
"I expressed my view, which is that I think there should be a stimulus package.. But I believe the one that Congress passed has too much spending that is unrelated to job growth, and grows government instead,"
Portman said. "And if there was a better way to do it, it would have been targeted spending and then more significant tax cuts ... especially for small businesses."
State Sen. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, and state Rep. Dave Hall, R-Millersburg, said they support Portman's candidacy because he has the qualifications to make an impact in Washington, D.C.
Ashland Community Improvement Corp. president Keith Boales said he enjoyed hearing Portman's presentation. He said he was particularly impressed with Portman's "strong interest in cultivating younger voters" as well as his belief that "we can't spend our way into prosperity."
n Travis Minnear can be reached at 419-281-0581 ext. 237 or tminnear@times-gazette.com.
http://www.times-gazette.com/news/article/4531238
Times-Gazette.com
Portman touts Senate run
Dayton Daily News
"GOP leaders tout party's revival at dinner - Portman, others criticize Obama's stimulus plan to Montgomery crowd"
By Angela Watson Gay
Staff Writer
Thursday, February 19, 2009
DAYTON - Former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, who has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat that George Voinovich is vacating through retirement, spoke to a raucous crowd Wednesday night, Feb. 18, at the Montgomery County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner.
About 300 people attended the dinner at the Packard Museum downtown.
Portman, in his address to the crowd, spoke about the revival of the Republican Party.
"I can hear it and I can feel it," he said. "People are excited. Getting our party back on track is critical, but it's also about getting the economy back on track."
The $787 billion economic stimulus package that President Barack Obama signed this week was a hot topic. Portman, of suburban Cincinnati, called the legislation wrongheaded. "We need one, but one that's not wasteful spending," Portman said.
Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor, one of the speakers for the evening, also criticized the stimulus package, asking, "When was the last time you paid off a credit card by going on a spending spree?"
Although Taylor has said she is considering a run for Voinvovich's Senate seat, she has not announced plans to run.
George Roebuck of Harrison Twp., who has attended the dinner for more than 30 years, said the party has had a "rude awakening."
Rodney Dean Tims, who recently moved to Dayton from Miami, Fla., said the Republican party is destined for a new vision and voice.
"I think Republicans young and old have learned the lessons of Nov. 4, 2008," Tims said. "We must re-brand and have a better relationship with the American public. The message was sent loud and clear. That's why they kicked us out."
Ohio Supreme Court Associate Justice Maureen O'Connor pointed out that the gestation period for an elephant is 22 months.
"We're not only going to be delivering an elephant we're going to deliver an elephant victory in 2010," she said, referencing the year candidates will fight for Voinovich's seat.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2009/02/19/...
The Daily Record - Wooster
"Lincoln Day message: A rebuilding of Republican party"
February 22, 2009
By BRYAN SCHAAF
Staff Writer
WOOSTER -- Rob Portman is for hope and change -- just not in the way one might think.
A former Republican congressman from southwest Ohio who later served as the U.S. Trade Representative and director of the Office of Management and Budget under the George W. Bush administration, Portman told a large audience at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner on Friday evening he's hoping for a change in the way the Republican party promotes itself.
Portman, who recently announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated in 2010 with the retirement of George Voinovich, said Republicans need to get back to their core values, as well as doing a better job of reaching out to younger people and minorities.
"If you look at the polls from 2006 and 2008, there has been a lot of confusion about who Republicans really are," Portman said. "We got away from some of our principles, like smaller government, ethics and financial conservatism. We need to be clear about who we are and how we're different from the Democrat approach.
The Republican party did very poorly with young people and groups who feel Republicans aren't concerned about them. We need to do more outreach, and not just communicate that we care, but also communicate the issues and where we stand on the concerns people are facing today."
Portman called 2009 a "rebuilding" year for the party after significant defeats at the state level in 2006 and the national level in 2008, telling the crowd at Greenbriar Conference & Party Centre Republicans need to take a page from President Barack Obama's playbook.
"We need to get our act together," Portman said. "We need to reach out to young people. Two-thirds of people between 18-35 voted (for Obama). That's partly because of the fact that young people were attracted to the candidate and his message, but also partly because the Democrats did a much better job of meeting them where most young people get their news and network -- online."
Jim Smail, chairman of the Wayne County Republican Party, announced the start-up of a Young Republicans organization locally, headed by Matt Long.
Smail said a similar organization used to exist, and he wanted to bring it back to help reach younger generations.
"In Wayne County we've had a tremendous following and have historically always carried the ticket, but we could seriously carry the ticket if we had a similar organization and following of young people that (Obama) had," Smail said. "... From bottom to top, the Republican Party needs to revitalize. It's learning from its mistakes."
Wayne County Commissioner Jim Carmichael, who served as party chairman for 26 years, added, "I think the state party is doing a good job of reorganizing and we're taking a look at doing some things differently here in Wayne County. The same old stuff just won't work anymore."
Party Treasurer Greg Long said candidates like Portman and John Kasich, who was the keynote speaker at the Lincoln Day Dinner, are the ones leading the revitalization of the party.
"These guys are all very good people running for these seats," said Long. "We just need to get behind them. We're lucky to have people like Rob and John who are willing to put themselves out there. We as a party need to regroup and get candidates like these guys and get our message out. We've just done a terrible job of that over the last year years."
Reporter Bryan Schaaf can be reached at 330-287-1645 or e-mail bschaaf@the-daily-record.com.
http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4531739
