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The Columbus Dispatch
Weighing 2010 contest, Portman names former aide to run PAC
Thursday, April 10, 2008
By Jonathan Riskind
WASHINGTON -- He's not announcing his 2010 gubernatorial bid, but former Rep. Rob Portman clearly is beefing up
his political operation in Ohio.
The Cincinnati Republican, who returned to his hometown last year and joined the law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey after leaving his post as White House budget director, has hired an executive director to run his
Ohio's Future Political Action Committee.
Andrew D. Ciafardini will be in charge of the PAC, Portman announced yesterday. Ciafardini is a Cincinnati-area native and former aide to Portman in both Congress and the budget office and then was President Bush's representative to
state legislators nationwide.
Portman started Ohio's Future last year. He has been a constant presence across the state at GOP functions
in recent months though he has not yet said he was a candidate.
The PAC is "obviously a way for me to stay active in the political and policy arena," Portman said in
an interview. "It also helps me support candidates who I believe in and who are pro-growth, pro-jobs candidates.
The main focus of the organization is to try to get Ohio back on its feet economically."
Such PACs often are vehicles for building political clout and influence -- and gathering chits from
other lawmakers. Portman's had raised about $163,000 by the end of the year and had more than $141,000 in its
coffers, according to a report to the Federal Election Commission.
Contributors included Cincinnati-area financier Carl Lindner and his wife, Edith, who each gave $5,000, the report showed. Ohio's Future has given money to Republicans such as Rep. Steve Chabot of Cincinnati and Steve Stivers,
who is running for the 15th Congressional District.
Portman also is said to be interested in a run for U.S. Senate, should Sen. George V. Voinovich
decide not to seek a third term in 2010. However, Portman's PAC has given Voinovich's re-election committee $1,000.
Former Rep. John R. Kasich said last month that he's ready to leave the private sector to run for governor in 2010.
Kasich said he will make a final decision early next year.
Portman was in Washington yesterday attending a bill-signing at the White House of legislation he authored
while in the House. The Second Chance Act aims to reduce the recidivism rate among prisoners.
