Jim Jordan Won't Run For Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Jim Jordan will not run for Senate in 2021.

When Sen. Rob Portman announced he would not seek re-election this week, speculation began immediately on which Republicans would try to fill his seat. Two of the most commonly mentioned names, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Jordan, have now ruled out Senate campaigns.

Jordan told CNN he would not run for Portman's seat, but would instead seek re-election in his House district.

At the beginning of the week, Portman made the surprise announcement that he would not seek another term in the Senate. He said increasing partisan gridlock made it difficult to consider another campaign.

"We live in an increasingly polarized country where members of both parties are being pushed further to the right and further to the left, and that means too few people who are actively looking to find common ground," Portman added.

When asked to consider who his successor might be, Portman demurred, declining to anoint a chosen replacement. Instead, he said several worthy candidates would emerge.

Since that announcement, both Husted and Jordan have publicly declared they would not seek a seat in the Senate. Other names that have been mentioned as possible Republican successors are "Hillbilly Elegy" author J.D. Vance, Josh Mandel, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.