Governor’s race big news here but not elsewhere [Oregon]

AP/gazettetimes ^ | June 26, 2006 | JULIA SILVERMAN

[ncountylee]

PORTLAND — The Oregon governor’s race has all the earmarks of a good political yarn: an up-by-his-bootstraps incumbent who has been fending off a run of bad luck, a well-funded challenger with his own tightropes to walk, and a supporting cast of potential spoilers who practically guarantee a November fight to the finish.

So why has the race yet to generate much heat beyond state lines?

True, governor’s races, especially those in smaller states, don’t tend to draw the same scrutiny — and dollars — as close competitions for the U.S. Senate. True too, Oregon lacks the starpower claimed by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or the giant reach of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, both Republican incumbents facing high-profile re-election campaigns this fall.

But Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski is consistently ranked as one of the top two or three incumbent Democrats in trouble this fall, with a post-primary survey giving him a negligible two-point lead over Republican Ron Saxton, well within the margin of error.

There are only two other Democratic incumbents whom polls suggest are in as serious danger of losing their jobs: Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle. Both Midwestern campaigns have compelling storylines: Granholm, once considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, has been plagued by Michigan’s stubbornly bad economy, while Doyle has been dragged down because of a corruption scandal among members of his administration.

National groups have focused on both those races, hoping that winning control of the governor’s seat will help them carry Michigan and Wisconsin in the 2008 presidential election.

[ncountylee]

Surprised to see that Oregon is in play. Any Oregon FReepers have input?

[phoenix0468]

Go Ron go!!

[Jack Black]

Even Dem voters have to be getting a little sick of the fools the party machine has put in charge of the state and city of Portland (which are tightly linked). The current Gov., Kulingowski, is part of the Neil Goldschmidt political family. Goldschmidt was the fellow who moved from Mayor to Governor, all the while it turns out he was boffing his 14 year old babysitter. Also, apparently, beat reporters with the Oregonian were aware of this amazing factoid but failed to report it for a decade. Finally the 'alternative' weekly broke the story after Goldschmidt was long gone. Between Goldschmidt and the current Gov. was a Dem who was liked, but not real effective.

We have problems similar to California - high cost government, highly variable tax revenue (income tax is about 9% - no sales tax) and hugely powerful public employee unions.

There have also been a series of pretty high profile failures - county supes allowing gay marraige AFTER a Constitutional ammendment to ban it. The city building a tram that serves one hospital at a cost of $50 million at the same time schools are closing early.

Portland, the hub of Democratic machine and "progressive" politics is both moving left (think Move-On types) and at the same time shrinking (losing families in particular) making the funding problem harder.

Anyway, my take is that even some left leaning and moderate dems are ready for a change. The guy who is nominated by the R's is percieved as more of a centrist than the last R (Mannix). He's probably more electable in the general. The last Gov's race was very close.

Oregon is not a bastion of liberalism - its a typical Red State with a large Blue City in it (very large).. ie: a Commie infection. There is hope for R's here, but in general odds are against them.

[Once-Ler]

Congratulations future Republican Governors Saxton, DeVos, and Green.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Any Oregon FReepers have input?

I have been in Oregon 18 months out of California... Mr. pro-homo-marriage Kulongoski has to go...

He was formerly an Oregon Supreme Court judge... glad he isn't anymore.

[builder]

"I have been in Oregon 18 months out of California....."

I'd keep that quiet if I was you.

[gardencatz]

I'd keep that quiet if I was you.

LOL! When I was a girl the motto for the southern border was "Welcome to Oregon...Now go home!" Cindie

[mockingbyrd]

not to get too nitpicky, but wasn't WaWa Roberts between Goldschimdt and Kitzhaber? She was pretty forgetable too.....

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I'd keep that quiet if I was you.

Why?

[Paperdoll]

>The last Gov's race was very close.<

As an ex-Oregonian, I recall that Mannix was way ahead, and then, surprise! The computers broke down! When they came back up, within the hour, Colonoscopy was in the lead from then on!

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

When I was a girl the motto for the southern border was "Welcome to Oregon... Now go home!" Cindie

I have lived in several states and on several military installations (Fort Benning, Fort Campbell, Fort Lewis, Fort Ord, Fort Hunter-Liggett) and I risked my neck so people could freely travel anywhere in the United States of America (yes, even for the lily livered liberal scums).

The provincialism and small town nepotism is a bunch of collectivist nonsense...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

As an ex-Oregonian, I recall that Mannix was way ahead, and then, surprise! The computers broke down! When they came back up, within the hour, Colonoscopy was in the lead from then on!

Governor Colonoscopy... LOL!

[jmaroneps37]

"Governor’s race big news here but not elsewhere [Oregon]"
True for a simple reason: states like Mass. R.I. Ill. and the three on the left coast are considered foreign countries by the Red Staters, and "givens" by the blue staters.

[builder]

Why?

As a long time Californian who has many relatives that have moved to Oregon,I said this mostly jokingly.There are a few people In parts of Oregon though that aren't real enamored of all the California influx.My Brother moved to Washington;He says the only thing worse than being from California ,is being from Oregon.[according to Washingtonians]

[fieldmarshaldj]

One of the Gubernatorial races some of us aren't paying a lot of attention to. Oregon hasn't elected a GOP Governor since Vic Atiyeh in 1982, and "Democrat fatigue" has surely set in by now. Although Ron Saxton struck me as a bit too RINOish (I was supporting Mannix), he may be a better fit for the state in the general. It is interesting that we have more than a handful of decent shots to take back Governorships from lackluster or incompetent one-termers in IL, ME, MI, OK, OR, PA, TN, WI & WY, less so in AZ, KS, NM. If I had to venture a guess, we may end up with perhaps as many as 31 Governorships come next January.

[gardencatz]

Oh please...I was a kid, it was a joke, and to my knowledge no Californian has been turned away at the border. Oregon is one of the first places Californians looking to escape go...including my husband who was born and raised in southern CA. My family also serves so that others can freely live where they choose (and say and think what they choose)...including both my sons (one in the Coast Guard & one in the Marines).

Cindie

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Oh please...I was a kid, it was a joke, and to my knowledge no Californian has been turned away at the border.

I know it was a sarcastic joke, but it is too bad illegal immigrants aren't turned away at the California border before they get to Oregon.

[Salvation]

Oregon Ping

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Oregon Ping List.

[Salvation]

**He was formerly an Oregon Supreme Court judge**

Didn't know that. I just wish that Saxton were pro-life.