El prototipo de running-mate

Roll Call resume las razones que convierten al Senador Rob Portman en el indiscutible favorito para la candidatura republicana a la Vicepresidencia sea quien sea el cabeza de cartel.

(...) Sen. Rob Portman is working aggressively to help Republicans take back Ohio from President Barack Obama in 2012, and in the process developing connections with top GOP contenders who could put him on the short list for the vice-presidential nomination.

(...) Fresh off of an 18-point Senate victory that saw him win 82 of 88 counties and 15 of 18 Congressional districts, including that of two-time presidential candidate and liberal Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D), Portman boasts a statewide grass-roots network that he has continued to cultivate since the midterm elections.

Portman is based in Cincinnati, the hub of Ohio’s nationally sought-after GOP fundraising community. He has simultaneously established relationships with business-minded Republicans and campaign donors, state GOP officials and tea party activists — threading a needle of support in a key White House battleground that has been difficult for high-profile Republicans in other regions of the country.

(...) Republican operatives for a few of the likely GOP presidential candidates said Portman could be a helpful supporter to have in any general election campaign, with one dubbing the Senator “a go-to kind of guy if you want to get around Ohio.”

(...) Although the soft-spoken Portman is sometimes described as overly cautious, he is credited with understanding the role politics plays in shaping policy.

To that end, Portman last cycle transferred $335,000 in Senate campaign funds to fellow Ohio Republicans, including a $250,000 donation to the state GOP. Additionally, he raised $1.1 million for the Ohio Republican Party, $650,000 for the National Republican Senatorial Committee and $100,000 for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Another GOP operative who worked on a 2008 campaign described the “formulaic” process for designating someone as a vice-presidential prospect. The media and campaigns follow the formula that the contender must hold a statewide office in a swing state, satisfy the party base, diversify the ticket and have a reputation for policy expertise.

“Portman’s appeal is that he checks more than one box,” this operative continued. “He is from an enormously important state, he is a solid conservative, and he is well-respected by both parties as someone who takes governing seriously.” (...)