Oregon (7/16/06)

Well, we’ve covered all of the Democratic incumbent races. So, instead of going D-R-D-R, etc… I’m going to just post on all the Republican races that haven’t been covered yet and then, at the end, I’ll just start over again. So, to the analysis! Gordon Smith is young, charismatic, and a political moderate. In Oregon, that is appreciated, yet he isn‘t that popular (6% net) due to Oregon‘s hatred of President Bush (-25% net). On top of all that, the Democratic party has a potentially devastating challenger: Former Governor John Kitzhaber. A beloved figure in the state, he is still popular four years removed from public office. He almost came out of retirement this year to challenge Governor Ted Kulongoski in the primary, but decided against it. Whether or not he challenges Smith will decide this race. If he does, it becomes one of the top five closest races. If he doesn’t, then the Democrats might have to turn to a second-rate candidate, such as Secretary of State Bill Bradbury. Keep your eye on this race. Because it’s Oregon, it has the chance to get lost in the news.

Potential GOP Candidates: U.S. Senator Gordon Smith (http://gsmith.senate.gov/)

Potential Dem Candidates: Secretary of State Bill Bradbury (http://www.bradburyfororegon.com/)
Former Governor John Kitzhaber (http://law.lclark.edu/org/kcenter/biokitzhaber.html)

Current Rating: Leans GOP