Former 2020 Presidential candidate and Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan is considering a bid for the US Senate held by Sen. Rob Portman. Portman announced his retirement on Monday.
“I’m overwhelmed by supporters who are reaching out to encourage me to run for Senate,” Ryan said in a tweet
“I haven’t made a decision yet but I’m looking seriously at it. Ohio deserves leaders who fight for working people,” he continued.
I’m overwhelmed by supporters who are reaching out to encourage me to run for Senate. I haven’t made a decision yet but I’m looking seriously at it. Ohio deserves leaders who fight for working people. #OHSen https://t.co/FzRIn9bHfw
— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) January 25, 2021
Ryan – for a brief moment—ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019. The campaign which was announced on The View ended after a few months of traveling to early primary states of New Hampshire and Iowa.
Other potential candidates on the Democratic side include Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley
Bob Paduchik, who oversaw Trump’s reelection in Ohio in 2020 and ran Portman’s first race, said to “expect a lot of interest in this open seat”.
He also wasn’t surprised by Portman’s retirement and said Portman “got big things done” but the politics of Washington today “just doesn’t fit for Portman”.
Some of the names being tossed around on the Republican side include former Ohio State Coach and now Youngstown State President Jim Tressel, Lt. Gov Jon Husted, and Congressman Jim Jordan.
President Trump won the state of Ohio by over 4 million votes or 8%. However, in the last midterm election, US Senator Sherrod Brown (D) defeated challenger Congressman Jim Renacci by nearly 7%.
