Westlund had only been in the race a week when this poll went into the field. Rasmussen sometimes does move a little slowly on candidacy dynamics (the first WA Senate polls compared Cantwell to GOP Chair Chris Vance, rather than the recently-announced Mike McGavick), but I think it's unfair to say there was a lack of research or knowledge here. Whatever else there is to say about Scott, he knows what he's doing, I've discovered.

I have a hard time believing Sorenson is a factor in this race, so while it would be nice to see him, I don't think it renders the poll irrelevant. Westlund will likely be a viable candidate IMO, but at this stage he would probably take roughly equivalent amounts from each major party--if anything, a little more from the GOP.

The thrust of this polling iteration is that the Democrats are in good shape. I don't see how including Westlund or Atkinson would alter that picture.

Nothing against Jim Hill at all, but I seem to remember a strong campaign* that involved successful fundraising by Kulongoski in 2002. He got elected to some position or other; I can't recall which one.

I agree it's a huge boost to Hill's primary candidacy.

*if by "strong" it's OK to substitute "winning"

Interesting poll. Hill, Westlund and Sorenson lack name recognition outside of Portland and outside the world of political junkies. Sit down for coffee with the 5:00 AM coffee crowd in Grants Pass and take an informal poll. Westlund who? Sorenson is from Lane County you say? Hill was Treasury Secretary when? Kulongoski has focused on Oregon's economy during his first term, resulting in the 5th fastest growing economy in the US. Kulongoski is long on bread and butter issues that matter to most citizens. In his State of the State speech he nailed it when he said the people on all of the streets in our state are focused on the ability to support themselves and their families. New jobs have rolled into Oregon under Ted. Remember Ted personally took on Arnold and convinced Amy's (organic/environmentally correct) Kitchen to move to Medford. Alot of folks went to work there due to Ted. How about the new distribution center for Lowes hiring hundreds in the Lebonnon/Corvallis/Albany area. There are hundreds of small businesses across the state who are grateful for Ted's leadership in helping their businesses grow. Want to make a differnce in our state? Donate to Rob Brading's campaign to defeat Karen Minnis. With her and her kind removed Ted will be free to pass the progressive legislation he has always supported.

Interesting poll. Hill, Westlund and Sorenson lack name recognition outside of Portland and outside the world of political junkies.

Hill is from Marion County which is a pivotal county in any statewide race. To the best of my knowledge only two candidates have won statewide office without winning Marion County. I won't bore y'all with my Marion County theories again though. And he was State Treasurer, not Treasury Secretary. It's not a cabinet post.

I've also done my own informal polling and a lot of people don't like Ted. I'm just sayin'. Name recognition or not. If you only take one thing from this poll it's that, in favorability ratings, Jim's is higher than Ted's. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's within the margin, I know. But that's still got to be disappointing for a sitting Governor - maybe name recognition doesn't really work in his favor.

I think Rasmussen has simply recognized that Sorenson is not a factor in this race. Ask anyone who is not a political junkie and doesn't live near Eugene who he is. He just has not registered with the public and doesn't have the money or organization to change that now.

Hill, as a former state officer, has more name recognition and Ted has had weak support. I remain dubious, however, that Hill can ride this to victory given that he disappeared from the public view 4 years ago, came in third in the last race, and has limited money and time to appeal to voters this year. While this poll shows him with a better favorability, other polls show him way behind Ted in a match-up. I remain dubious. Most people just do not know who Hill is today or what he stands for and I don't think he can change that in the next two months.

I'm sorry, but I agree-- any polling done between Dems/Repubs should have included Sorenson as well. Most seem to think that it'll be Mannix or Saxton, yet Atkinson is in there. So why not Sorenson?

Sorenson has more name recognition than some may think. I've been pleasantly surprised when mentioning his name to people that they do indeed know who he is. Remember-- in the primary it's mostly going to be the party faithful who get out and vote. And they're a lot more likely to know who Sorenson is than just someone you chat with at a coffee shop.

It's the time between the primary and the general when candidates spend their time getting everyone to know who they are, what they stand for, etc. Right now it's all about the party faithful who vote in the primary.

I'd imagine that they left Westlund out because it was a comparison between R's and D's. However, I'd really like to see them list all 3 main R and D candidates and include Westlund in there.

Rasmussen has no business deciding that Sorenson is not a factor. that's not the job of a pollster; Sorenson has been running hard for a long time, and a realistic assessment of that campaign is owed to the political process, if nothing else. Atkinson gets numbers but not Pete? that is very lame and unprofessional.

my own take on this: Oregonians are recognizing that at the state level, the GOP has almost nothing to offer. the flat-earthers have no need of the Rs; if they get pissed at something, they're going to take it to the ballot anyway. so that leaves deciding which party will take care of business better, and Minnis et al have demonstrated not merely an obstructionist approach but an anti-democratic one. the Dems, otoh, are a diverse group, representing the different versions of Democratic politics across the state. officials like Bradbury, Castillo, Myers and Edwards have demonstrated they are not only competent but fair. Democratic voters are glad to stay home, and more of the indies are voting D.

not to mention, whatever faults or short-comings they possess, both Ted & Jim (and Pete, and can i just say, Bev Stein, i miss you!) are clearly preferable to more voters than retread Mannix and the 2 invisible wannabees. it won't be a cakewalk, but a strong campaign should have no trouble winning with any of the 3 Dems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carole_Keeton_Strayhorn

"She is the mother of White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan (who was Strayhorn's campaign manager three times), and Mark McClellan, who is currently director of Medicare for the Bush Administration and who previously served as Food and Drug Administration Commissioner. Her son Brad McClellan is a former Assistant Attorney General for Texas, where he headed the state's workers' compensation section and is now the manager for his mother's gubernatorial campaign."

I lived in Texas when she ran for several of her offices. She's not that much better than Bush. Back when he was governor, she was one of his side-kicks.

However, the current governor is a complete idiot. He makes Bush look like a genius.

She's running as an independent because she knows the Republican Party wouldn't give her the time of day-- she's running against Bush's boy, Rick Perry.

I hear this is also why Kay Bailey decided not to run for governor yet-- she was warned against it.

I'd rather not see her as governor either, although it would be better than having an utter and complete moron running the state.