Portman wins re-election to Senate

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COLUMBUS — Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman has defeated former Gov. Ted Strickland in a race that once looked like one of the Democrats’ best bets to flip a Senate seat.

Statewide results with about 70 percent of the state’s precincts reporting showed Portman ahead of Strickland by about 24 percentage points.

“I am a proud Republican and I want to see my Party lead in the effort to find solutions that make Americans’ lives better. Thank you, Ohio!” Portman stated via Twitter.

Portman, a former U.S. trade representative and budget director, was first elected to the Senate in 2010. He ran a strong campaign, branding Strickland early on as “Retread Ted” and tying him to Ohio’s sinking economy during Strickland’s governorship, which coincided with the national recession.

Strickland called Portman to congratulate him on the win shortly after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m.

Portman kept Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a distance leading up to Tuesday’s election. Portman didn’t campaign with Trump and withdrew his endorsement when a 2005 tape of Trump making lewd comments about kissing and groping women surfaced last month.

The outcome of the race seemed in little doubt for several months, especially after national Democrats in early September pulled advertising dollars earmarked for Strickland ads out of Ohio.

Portman’s TV ads touted his work to combat the heroin epidemic, including a new law Portman co-sponsored.

Early results showed Portman with about 77 percent of the Clinton County vote.

Both of the two races to elect justices to the Ohio Supreme Court were close mid-evening with about 70 percent of the state’s precincts reporting, with Pat DeWine holding a lead of about 13 percent over Cynthia Rice and John O’Donnell in a virtual dead heat with Pat Fischer. DeWine and Fischer both had large leads among Clinton County voters.

Also mid-evening, in the race for the US Congress, incumbent Republican Steve Stivers held a large lead of about 29 percent over Democrat Scott Wharton for representative for the 15th District. Stivers was leading Wharton by about 55 percent in Clinton County in gaining his fourth term in Congress.

“I am honored that the voters of the 15th Congressional District have entrusted me to represent them for another term,” said Stivers in a statement Tuesday night. “America faces many challenges and deserves leaders who will focus on solving problems. I look forward to getting back to work to balance our budget, create an atmosphere for jobs, and to ensure our military remains the best fighting force in the world.”

Portman
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By Tom Barr

[email protected]

and Associated Press

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