Inside Pitch

Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus, of New Richmond in Clermont County, has been involved in Republican politics for 20 year, but this week's Republican National Convention in Tampa is not what he expected, with a tropical storm, canceled sessions and tornado warnings.

But, then again, he didn't know quite what to expect.

"This is all new to me,'' said Niehaus, before the Ohio delegation breakfast at the Mainsail Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Tampa.

Ohio senator Rob Portman will play the role of President Obama in Mitt Romney's preparations for the presidential debates, CNN reported.

Portman has done this before many times for GOP presidential and vice presidential candidates.

He's played Joe Lieberman and John Edwards for Dick Cheney in 2000 and 2004; and Al Gore and John Kerry for George W. Bush in the same years. He also played Hillary Clinton for New York State's Rick Lazio in his unsuccessful run for the Senate against Clinton, who is now secretary of state.