Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) delivers farewell floor speech

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is retiring from the U.S. Senate in less than a month. Thursday, the senator delivered his final floor speech.

Portman said, “We’ve had some successes, and some disappointments. But through it all I’ve always considered it a great honor to have been given the chance to represent my neighbors. The people of Ohio.”

Portman called for his colleagues to work together, to build bipartisan coalitions rather than waiting for party leadership dictate policy decisions. He also urged them to protect the Senate’s filibuster rules.

Portman said, “I believe that means preserving the legislative filibuster that protects the rights of the minority in the Senate and forces us to work together in a bipartisan way.”

Portman’s seat will be filled by Senator-elect J.D. Vance next year. Portman spoke about Vance during his final speech, along with Democratic colleague Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

Brown also spoke about working with Portman on Thursday.

“Well, these are kind of arranged marriages. Rob Portman didn’t choose me. I didn’t choose Rob Portman. But you make it work and Rob and I made it work for a decade,” Brown said. “We realized there are many Ohio specific things that we can work together on and help our state. And I’m very hopeful that Senator Vance will see it the same way.”

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