Portman Meets With Romney Campaign Officials

Washington (CNN) — Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio on Tuesday said he met with Romney campaign staffers during three meetings the day prior while in Boston to headline a couple of fundraisers for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

But Portman, who may be in serious contention as Mitt Romney’s running mate, said the meetings were not at the Romney campaign headquarters, and had nothing to do with the vetting process.

Portman, a former congressman and cabinet member in the George W. Bush administration, spoke to reporters Tuesday after giving a speech to a builders and contractors association meeting in the nation’s capital.

The freshman senator, who’s now a leading surrogate for Romney’s White House bid, said he speaks to the campaign on a regular basis, especially regarding how the race is shaping up in his home state of Ohio, a crucial battleground in the election.