Todd Portune

Todd Brian Portune (August 14, 1958 – January 25, 2020) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Cincinnati City Council and as a Hamilton County Commissioner. Portune was regarded as left of center on social issues, and a fiscal conservative.[1]

Todd Portune
Portune at a public hearing in 2017
Hamilton County Commissioner
In office
January 2, 2001 – December 31, 2019
Preceded byBob Bedinghaus
Succeeded byVictoria Parks (acting)
Member of the Cincinnati City Council
In office
1993–2001
Personal details
Born
Todd Brian Portune

(1958-08-14)August 14, 1958
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJanuary 25, 2020(2020-01-25) (aged 61)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
CitizenshipUnited States
Political partyDemocratic
Children3
Education
OccupationAttorney

Early life

Portune was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1958. The son of a professor at the University of Cincinnati, he grew up in Cincinnati's West Side. His father died when Portune was 14, with his mother returning to work to support Portune and his two brothers.[2] He graduated from Colerain High School in 1976, and graduated from Oberlin College in 1980 with a political science degree. In 1983 he graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and became an attorney in Cincinnati.

Political career

Cincinnati city councilman

Portune was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Cincinnati City Council in 1993. He won elections to two-year terms in 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999.

County commissioner
Portune addresses a crowd at a Turnaround Ohio rally in Cincinnati in 2006.

In 2000 Portune was elected as a Hamilton County Commissioner.[3] Cincinnati has voted solidly for Democratic candidates in the early 21st-century; the suburbs have supported the Republicans. Portune was the first Democrat from the suburbs elected Commissioner in 36 years.[4] Portune's opponent Bob Bedinghaus won 43% of the 363,948 votes cast in 2000, while Portune won 48%. Portune was sworn in on January 2, 2001.[5] In 2004 Portune was re-elected, with 57% to his opponent's 42%.

Potential candidate for Governor in 2014

In December 2013 Portune announced that he was considering becoming a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in the 2014 elections.[6] Portune visited several locations in Ohio during December 2013 and January 2014, visiting voters and gauging the support he could expect if he formalized his candidacy.[7] In mid-January, Portune indicated that a decision was imminent.[8]

In late January news reports indicated that Portune had discussed with former Toledo Mayor Jack Ford the possibility of becoming Portune's Lieutenant Governor running mate.[9] On January 31, he announced that he would not be a candidate, making the decision just days before the early February deadline to file nominating petitions to qualify for a place on the primary election ballot.[10]

Personal life

Portune resided in Green Township with his wife Angelia, and their children, Ellyse Lautner Portune, Ethan Portune, and Emma Portune.[11]

Death

Portune was diagnosed with cancer in 2003. Later that year, his spinal tumors erupted, causing paralysis of the legs. Portune's left leg was amputated in 2018.[12] After years of remission, his cancer returned and metastasized.[11] Portune stated in September 2019 that he would not run for re-election in 2020, and announced the following month he would retire at the end of the year.[12] His chief of staff, Victoria Parks, began acting in his role for the remainder of his term, which ended at the end of 2020. Portune died from cancer on January 25, 2020, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was 61 years old.[11]

References
  1. "Democrat Portune is fiscal conservative". The Cincinnati Post. E. W. Scripps Company. May 24, 2001. Archived from the original on May 22, 2003.
  2. Wartman, Scott. "Todd Portune | 1958-2020: Longtime Cincinnati politician considered Ohio governor run against Kasich". The Columbus Dispatch.
  3. Klepal, Dan; Robert Anglen; Dan Horn (November 8, 2000). "Portune ousts Bedinghaus". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett Company.
  4. Wilkinson, Howard (January 3, 2001). "Trend, fluke? Portune win hints at both". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett Company.
  5. "January 9, 2001". Hello, Hamilton County. Hamilton County. January 9, 2001. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  6. WCPO-TV News, Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune Announces Bid for Ohio Governor Mansion, December 20, 2013
  7. Columbus Dispatch, Democrat Todd Portune's Tour to Test Support for Governor’s Race, January 12, 2014
  8. Henry J. Gomez, Northeast Ohio Media Group, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Todd Portune Delays Decision on Run for Governor, January 23, 2014
  9. Henry J. Gomez, Northeast Ohio Media Group, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Toledo's Jack Ford Confirms Talk About Running for Lieutenant Governor on Todd Portune Ticket, January 29, 2014
  10. Holly Pennebaker, WCPO-TV, Todd Portune Calls Off Run for Ohio Governor with Running Mate Jack Ford, January 31, 2014.
  11. Baker, Jennifer Edwards (January 25, 2020). "Todd Portune, long-serving public official, dies after cancer battle". WXIX-TV. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  12. "Portune, still facing 'biggest fight of his life,' to retire at the end of the year". WCPO-TV. October 31, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
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