Todd Portune
Todd Portune (born 1958) is an American lawyer and politician who considered becoming a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Ohio in the 2014 election.
Portune is regarded as left of center on social issues, and a fiscal conservative.[1]
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Early life
Todd B. Portune was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on August 14, 1958.[2] He graduated from Colerain High School in 1976, and graduated from Oberlin College with a political science degree in 1980. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1983 and became an attorney in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati city councilman
Portune was appointed to fill a vacancy on the city council in 1993. He won elections to two-year terms in 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999. He served on the city council from 1993 to 2000.
County commissioner
In 2000 Portune was elected as a Hamilton County Commissioner.[3] The city of Cincinnati has voted solidly for Democratic candidates in the early 21st Century; the suburbs have supported the Republicans. Portune was the first Democratic commissioner elected from the suburbs in 36 years.[4] Portune's opponent Bob Bedinghaus won 43% of the 363,948 votes cast[5] in 2000, while Portune won 48%.
In 2004 Portune was re-elected,[6] with 57% to his opponent's 42%. His winning in a conservative county was attributed to his moderate policies, and to effective campaigning. The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Cincinnati Post newspapers endorsed him.
He won reelection in 2008 and 2012.
Potential candidate for Governor in 2014
In December, 2013 Portune announced that he was considering becoming be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor in the 2014 elections.[7]
Portune visited several locations in Ohio during December, 2013 and January, 2014, visiting voters and gauging the support he could expect if he formalized his candidacy.[8]
In mid-January, Portune indicated that a decision was imminent.[9]
In late January news reports indicated that Portune had discussed with former Toledo Mayor Jack Ford the possibility of becoming Portune's Lieutenant Governor running mate.[10]
On January 31 he announced that he would not be a candidate, making the decision just days before the early February deadline to file nominating petitions to qualify for a place on the primary election ballot.[11]
Family
Portune, his wife Angie, their twins Ellyse and Ethan, and their daughter Emma currently reside in Westwood.
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Ohio Birth Index, 1908-1964, entry for Todd B. Portune, retrieved january 19, 2014
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer
- ↑ http://www.citybeat.com/2004-11-03/news3.shtml
- ↑ WCPO-TV News, Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune Announces Bid for Ohio Governor Mansion, December 20, 2013
- ↑ Columbus Dispatch, Democrat Todd Portune's Tour to Test Support for Governor’s Race, January 12, 2014
- ↑ Henry J. Gomez, Northeast Ohio Media Group, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Todd Portune Delays Decision on Run for Governor, January 23, 2014
- ↑ Henry J. Gomez, Northeast Ohio Media Group, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Toledo's Jack Ford Confirms Talk About Running for Lieutenant Governor on Todd Portune Ticket, January 29, 2014
- ↑ Holly Pennebaker, WCPO-TV, Todd Portune Calls Off Run for Ohio Governor with Running Mate Jack Ford, January 31, 2014
