How Rob Portman won his Senate race

WASHINGTON — During the first focus group he organized for Rob Portman’s re-election bid, Portman’s campaign manager Corry Bliss listened for an hour, and then stepped out to make two calls: One to Portman and one to his own wife. His message to both was identical. “We’re going to win,” he said. That was March 2015. Portman’s name identification was questionable and every poll that year would have him behind former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.