Auditor won’t challenge Portman

Republicans are getting a break in Ohio, as state Auditor Mary Taylor (R) has announced she won’t run for Senate in 2010.

Taylor had been quietly thinking about the Senate race, even though almost all of the GOP establishment is already behind former Rep. Rob Portman (R-Ohio).

Taylor probably wouldn’t have defeated Portman, but she could have depleted his resources to some degree and, if the race ever got close, gave Republicans a big headache.

For now, though, Democrats are the one facing a potentially competitive primary, as Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner (D) has reiterated her pledge to stay in the race, despite a lackluster first quarter of fundraising.

As with Portman, much of the Democratic establishment has rallied around Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher (D)

-Aaron Blake