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.

[Valpal1]

Ted Kulongoski is a lack luster incompetent and generally do-nothing goober with no media skills for starters.

Oregon isn't as liberal as it was 30 years ago. The local economies really never recovered from Carter and have been further damaged by enviro whackos and anti business attitudes and runaway courts found in the I-5 corridor.

The Democratic party at one time boasted nearly 70% of registered voters in Oregon. Now they are even with the Republicans in the low 30's.

Most voters are fed up with both parties, but this cycle, I believe they are more fed up with Dems than Republicans.

[Inspectorette]

We are Oregon residents since September '05, retired here from California.

There is an admirable quality about Gov. Kulongoski - he is a former Marine. He grew up in an orphanage, a real American success story.

He makes a point of going to every single military funeral, and without fanfare. He does it quietly, with respect for the family, absolutely no photo ops.

I honestly like him personally, even though I'm a Republican. In fact, I've never voted for a Democrat in my life.

Has he actually come out in support of gay "marriage"? I believe he is a Catholic (not that THAT necessarily makes a difference, i.e., cafeteria Catholics Kennedy-Kerry).

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

There is an admirable quality about Gov. Kulongoski - he is a former Marine.

Just being a Marine doesn't make you admirable, a good Marine or qualified to be governor. The argumentum misericordian (appeal to sympathy) is an informal fallacy of logic and a leftist liberal mindset.

Pete Wilson, former governor of California was a Marine, and a damn good one, but that isn't what made him a good governor...

[Inspectorette]

My sentence structure was faulty - I didn't mean he was admirable for "just being a Marine". I was referring to his "up by the bootstraps" success story, as well as his genuine care and concern for our troops.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[investigateworld]

Just an addendum, Portland is so far left, the Mayor won't allow the local Police to cooperate with the FBI Anti-Terrorism task force.
I can only guess they have a policy; "Better Dimmi than dead"

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Statement: "...all the while it turns out he was boffing his 14 year old babysitter..."

Response: Typical, in America, 2006 A.D. (Probably threw in a 12 year old pleasure boy from time to time.]

[aimhigh]

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

I don't trust Saxton. He sounds like Lars Larson, with no details. Our Democratic governor established a homo-promo committee that is scheduled to release its conclusions December 1, right AFTER the election. Saxton should challenge the Governor to move the date forward to reveal his agenda.

[Evie Munchkin]

I also wish that Saxton were pro-life. I'm in a real quandary with this election. I voted for Atkinson in the primary and I really don't want to vote for anyone who is pro-abortion. But at the same time, I definitely don't want that do-nothing idiot Kulongowski to win. I think Saxton is a RINO.

So, do I vote my conscience and throw my vote away on a third party, pro-life candidate or do I vote for the pro-abortion RINO who may be slightly better than the casino loving lefty?

And is there any way to clean up the city of Portland? The mayor and commissioners are all corrupt socialists and a giant embarrassment.

[Jack Black]

I understand your sense of frustration. It's not an easy choice. I supported Atkinson, but didn't vote for him, having moved across the river a few years ago to improve my take home pay.

There are worse things than a do-nothing Dem, an activist RINO, for instance. Kulongowski hasn't *done* much wrong, or much good either. From a conservative point of view that's not a bad place to be.

I don't remember what Saxton is for, acutually. But I would probably tend to vote for him anyway because shaking up the political machine is a good thing. Kulongowski, as I mentioned above, is certainly at the heart of it.

For the same reasons replacing the corrupt Katz administration with Potter was a plus, even if it didn't fundamentally change the politics of Portland going from far-left, socialist nutcase-led to mid-left soft-socialist semi-rationalism is a good thing.

[OregonRepublican]

Well when a RINO is running we will always have a shot.

Im not voting, we get a liberal republican. Im done voting for RINOs

[NathanDahlin]

I supported Atkinson in the primary, but I'm also willing to vote for Saxton in the general. He may be pro-choice and somewhat "moderate" on certain other issues, but he at least favors common-sense restrictions like parental consent and a ban on partial-birth abortion. Kulongoski, on the other hand, has pledged to "be the last line of defense for a woman's right to choose."

Furthermore, last month Kulongoski signed an executive directive giving gay couples special rights. He has been actively trying to undermine the 2004 Oregon marriage amendment, as he has no respect for the will of the voters. Saxton, on the other hand, has decried attempts to establish marriage-by-another-name. He may not be the perfect candidate, but this race is going to be too close for me to be able to conscience throwing away my vote for a conservative third-party candidate. Saxton is a decent choice, and I think that we should at least give him the chance to show us what he will do.