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David Plouffe managed Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

(CNN) – Barack Obama's former campaign manager is taking sides in a high-profile Democratic primary.

David Plouffe sent a fundraising appeal Wednesday to supporters of Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, the frontrunner for the state's Democratic Senate nomination, calling Fisher "a champion for Ohio workers."

Fisher has garnered support from the party establishment in his bid to replace Sen. George Voinovich, who is retiring next year. But before Fisher can take on the likely Republican nominee, former Bush administration budget director Rob Portman, Fisher must first defeat Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner in the Democratic primary. Brunner trails Fisher in statewide polling and has struggled to raise money since announcing her candidacy.

But Plouffe is keeping his eye the general election. He wrote that Portman's policies under Bush cost Ohioans jobs and helped spark "the worst economic recession in our lifetimes.

"If Karl Rove was the 'architect' of Bush's campaigns, then Portman was the 'architect' of Bush's economic agenda," he wrote in the e-mail. "We can't go back to the same failed policies that got us where we are today. And that's why we need Lee Fisher."

Rob Portman is the Republican frontrunner in the Ohio Senate race.

(CNN) – Republican Rob Portman, the former congressman and George W. Bush cabinet official now running for Senate in Ohio, finished the latest fundraising period with a big cash advantage over the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher.

Portman raised $1.3 million in the last three months - more than double the amount of Fisher, who collected $620,000. Also good news for Republicans: Portman has over $5 million on hand, while Fisher has $1.6 million.

Fisher's rival for the Democratic nomination, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, has yet to release her third-quarter numbers, but has admitted raising less than she did in the second quarter, when she took in just $228,000. Some have questioned whether Brunner is planning to drop out of the race, but she has rejected that speculation, telling the Columbus Dispatch Thursday that she has replaced her campaign finance team.

Portman, too, is facing an intra-party challenge - from Cleveland car dealer Thomas Ganley, who has pledged to contribute up to $7 million to fund his campaign.

Portman is running for Senate in Ohio.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Rob Portman announced Wednesday he's running for the soon-to-be vacant Senate seat from Ohio, three days after fellow Republican Senator George Voinovich announced he would retire rather than run for re-election when his term ends in 2010.

Portman was a southern Ohio congressman for 12 years before joining the Bush administration as U.S. Trade Representative and budget director.

Related: Senate Republicans brace for ominous 2010

"My heart is in public service,” Portman said in a widely-expected statement released by his campaign. “Just as it was an honor to serve the people of Southern Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives for 12 years, so it would be an honor to serve all Ohioans in the U.S. Senate. At a difficult time in our state and national economy, I believe I can make a positive difference in the lives of people throughout Ohio."

Voinovich won re-election to his Senate seat by 18 points in 2004. But Democrats have since had success in Ohio, winning two statewide races in 2006. Republican Sen. Mike DeWine was ousted by Democratic congressman Sherrod Brown, and the Democrats took back the governor's office as Rep. Ted Strickland overwhelmingly defeated former GOP secretary of state Ken Blackwell. And this past November, Barack Obama won the state by 4 points over John McCain in the presidential election.

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Portman will be on hand the day McCain is expected to name his VP.

(CNN) – Former Rep. Rob Portman - who reportedly figures high on John McCain’s VP shortlist - will attend the major campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio next week where the presumptive Republican nominee is expected to make his vice presidential announcement, amid mounting speculation the former Ohio congressman may join the GOP ticket.

Portman representative Rob Lehman confirmed that the former Bush official would be on hand at the event - which is scheduled for Friday, just hours after the Democratic convention officially ends - but added that his presence at the rally is not unusual. “He always tries to attend events when McCain is in Ohio," Lehman told CNN.

Portman campaigned on McCain’s behalf last week in Indiana.

Portman joined up with McCain unexpectedly Thursday.

(CNN) - Another day, another round of buzz surrounding a potential vice presidential candidate.

This time it's former Bush administration official and former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman, who made an unscheduled appearance aboard John McCain's Straight Talk Express Thursday afternoon. McCain and Portman are headed to Columbus, Ohio where the Arizona senator will participate in a town hall event with biking legend Lance Armstrong. (Portman will not be speaking at the event, CNN's Tasha Diakides reports.)

Portman, who served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2006-07, has long been considered a top pick for VP. In addition to his economic credentials - something many political observers believe McCain's ticket desperately needs - Portman remains a popular figure in his home state of Ohio, the perennial presidential battleground that is once again expected to play a key role this cycle.

CNN's Political Market: Portman's VP stock on the rise

Portman represented Ohio's conservative 2nd district for 12 years, and could help shore up conservative support and working class voters there. Barack Obama lost to Hillary Clinton in Ohio by nearly 10 points in the Democratic primary - largely due to a lack of support from working class Democrats - though recent polls show the Illinois senator now holds a slight lead over McCain in the Buckeye State.

But it remains unclear just how high up on the VP list Portman is - Republicans may be wary of putting a former Bush administration official on the ticket, and he remains relatively unknown on the national scene.

And there's always the question of whether Portman is at all interested in the job. The former congressman appeared to suggest last month he was not.

Watch: Portman explain why he would say no to being VP

“Well, you know, I’m happy to be home,” he told CNN's Peter Hamby. “I commuted between Washington and Ohio where we are now for 15 years, and about nine months, so I made the decision to come home and it’s been great. I’ve got three teenagers, so I’m not looking for a way back to Washington right now."

“I love public service,” he added. “I want to help him. I think he’s the right person to lead the country at this critical time, but I’m not interested in going back to D.C. right now.”