Buoyed by a Republican wave that will sweep in a GOP majority in both the Senate and House, Sen. Rob Portman says he's "going to take a look" at a possible White House run in 2016.
"I’ll be talking to family, talking to friends and some who’ve been encouraging me and analyze the situation," the Ohio Republican
tells Politico. "I’ve been laser-focused on 2014 and I finally got a good night’s sleep last night," he said. "Now I’ve got some time to start thinking."
Portman has been
dangling the possibility for months, even as the potential GOP field is filling, with several of his fellow colleagues, like Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, in the mix as well as newly re-elected Ohio Republican Gov.
John Kasich.
"You decide, in my case, what’s in the interest of the country," he said. "The question is: 'What’s the most effective role that I can play?'"
The Columbus Dispatch reports the lawmaker's chief of staff, Robert Lehman, said it'll be months before a final decision is made.
But speculation is ramping up nonetheless, with Portman acknowledging his presidential ambitions to
The Washington Post and
ABC News as well last week.
A Bloomberg report weighed how Portman's support of same-sex marriage — his son Will is gay — would affect his chances; Bloomberg news noted a poll in early October showed 53 percent of likely caucus-goers support making same-sex marriages illegal.
Politico notes Portman has emerged as a GOP power player over the past two years with his work on extending unemployment benefits and a now-stalled bipartisan energy bill. He voted against the Senate’s immigration reform legislation after trying to get a separate roll call vote on his amendment, Politico notes.
He told Politico he'll now turn his attention back to the energy bill, as well as fight for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline – and replacement of Obamacare that will require his being "very, very involved in talking to Democrats and Republicans alike."
As for his own view of the possible field of presidential candidates, Portman says he thinks Wisconsin Sen. Paul Ryan would make a "great president,"
The Hill reports.
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