[...] did former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, the Democrats' preferred candidate against incumbent Republican Sen. Rob Portman as Democrats fight uphill to retake Senate control. Waiting outside the ornate LBJ Room with Amanda Renteria, the campaign's political director and a former aide to Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Podesta said he was aiming to reintroduce himself and "tell them that we want to stay in touch and be available as we begin to develop organization in every state in the country." Strickland said before going into the meeting that he planned to thank senators for their financial support and share recent public polling showing him with a lead.