National Journal: Portman Now Leads Romney’s VP Field

Ohio Sen. Rob Portman is quietly becoming the Republicans’ consensus pick to be Mitt Romney’s running mate in the fall election, the National Journal reports.

The two men are “similar in style and substance,” the magazine reports, and that may be no bad thing. It is Portman’s very blandness that makes him an attractive candidate, the magazine argues, arguing that Romney doesn’t need someone with “star power” such as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

“Portman possesses a number of advantages,” the Journal says. “Starting with this: He’s no Sarah Palin. A Romney-Portman ticket might be bland, but it would be seasoned, and it would solidify the ticket’s core message: We’re here to fix the economy.

“Both project a clean-cut image, are able fundraisers, and have spent their careers focused on economic issues. They’re also closely linked through a number of Republican establishment connections, including Stuart Stevens, Portman’s former media consultant, who is now Romney’s top strategist.”

The Journal says the days when a presidential candidate has to balance his ticket have gone, as proven by two moderate southern Democrats, Bill Clinton and Al Gore. “Nobody really brings large blocs of voters with them,” Democratic Leadership Council founder Al From said.

“In the end, people still vote for the presidential candidate, and the best a vice presidential candidate can do is not detract from that but reinforce that message,” From added.