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.

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. He graduated from Colerain High School in 1976, and graduated from

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

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

In 2000 Portune was elected as a Hamilton County Commissioner. Cincinnati has voted solidly for Democratic candidates in the early 21st-century; the suburbs have supported the

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

. Portune was the first Democrat from the suburbs elected Commissioner in 36 years. 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. 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. 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. In mid-January, Portune indicated that a decision was imminent. In late January news reports indicated that Portune had discussed with former

Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Orur ...

Mayor Jack Ford the possibility of becoming Portune's

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

running mate. 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.Holly Pennebaker, WCPO-TV
Todd Portune Calls Off Run for Ohio Governor with Running Mate Jack Ford
January 31, 2014.

Personal life

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

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. After years of remission, his cancer returned and metastasized. 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. 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.

References

External links

Hamilton County Commissioner profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Portune, Todd 1958 births 2020 deaths County commissioners in Ohio Cincinnati City Council members Ohio Democrats Oberlin College alumni University of Cincinnati College of Law alumni Lawyers from Cincinnati Deaths from cancer in Ohio