5 Things people said about retiring U.S. Sen. Rob Portman

Dec. 27—U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a Cincinnati Republican, has represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate since 2011. He is retiring at the end of his term this year.

Here are five things Portman's colleagues and officials in Dayton and Ohio said about Portman and his impact.

1. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, in a Dec. 13 speech on the senate floor

"Our jobs have always been to look for opportunities to do things together. We found dozens of them in our 12 years together and we were able to accomplish a lot of things for our state. I'll miss Rob, his leadership, and his reasonableness and I hope we'll continue to work together for Ohio."

2. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine

"As I think about how to describe Rob Portman it is as someone who wants to make a difference every day, wants to get things done every single day."

3. Jeff Hoagland, president and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition

"U.S. Sen. Rob Portman has been a steadfast advocate for the Dayton Region, working to bring resources to our community and to support Ohio's military personnel and installations. His reputation for collaboration and compromise helped advance measures that addressed drug addiction, tax reform, trade policy and human trafficking. He was a strong supporter of Wright-Patterson, particularly the Air Force Institute of Technology, and he advanced the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. We're grateful for his work on behalf of Ohioans and wish him the best in the next chapter of his life."

4. U.S. Sen.-elect J.D. Vance

"Senator Portman has done great work for the people of Ohio. I'm thankful for his counsel and friendship, and I wish him well in all that he'll do in the future."

5. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, in a Dec. 8 speech on the senate floor

"But the real reasons for Rob's impact are his deep knowledge, his work ethic, and his passion for finding his way to the thick of each consequential issue....He's been one of this body's sharpest early-warning signals on crises like opioid addiction and human trafficking. He's used Congress' investigative powers to craft solutions. And he's built the relationships to make law."

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