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Sen. Rob Portman says despite some inappropriate statements, he backs Donald Trump for president
YOUNGSTOWN
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman objects to statements Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, made about a Gold Star family, but says the billionaire businessman is the best candidate seeking the nation’s highest elected office, and he still endorses him.
“When I disagree with Donald Trump, I speak up, and I’ve done that consistently,” Portman, a Republican, said Wednesday while in Youngstown to host a roundtable discussion with veterans recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.
Trump has faced criticism from Republicans and Democrats for recent statements he’s made about the Muslim parents of an American soldier killed in 2004 by a suicide bomber while in Iraq.
Earlier Wednesday, ex-Gov. Ted Strickland, Portman’s Democratic challenger for the Senate, said the incumbent’s support of Trump is “an example of gutless political calculation.” Strickland again called for Portman to withdraw his endorsement of Trump.
When asked if he was having second thoughts about his endorsement of Trump, Portman said, “I again am disappointed in what he said with this Gold Star family and some other instances where I’ve spoken up and will continue to.”
But when it comes to the economy, job creation and establishing the United States as a world leader, Portman said Trump “has the better solutions than does Hillary Clinton,” the Democratic presidential nominee.
Portman didn’t directly respond to Strickland’s “gutless” comment. As for Strickland’s call to pull his endorsement, Portman dismissed it by saying, “He does that everyday.”
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who unsuccessfully challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, has refused to endorse Trump.
Strickland said, “How low does Donald Trump have to go for Rob Portman to withdraw his endorsement? It is clear there apparently is no floor.”
Portman said Trump “has specific proposals he says that he supports on tax reform, on regulatory relief, on ensuring that we can provide the skills training to get people back to work.”
Portman went to Youngstown State University’s Veterans Resource Center on Wednesday for a roundtable discussion with veterans recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and local drug recovery experts. It was the fourth stop on his seven-day tour of the state to discuss his Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act [CARA] that was strongly supported in the House and Senate, and signed into law July 22 by President Barack Obama.
Portman said he was “inspired” to hear from the recovering veterans.
“Their example of courage and perseverance is something we can all learn from,” Portman said. “CARA will help ease the transition for veterans re-entering our society as they recover from drug addiction by supporting veterans’ drug courts and diversion programs that find alternatives to incarceration.”