I was a Kulongowski supporter in last election but am now among the disappointed. I can't go as far as to say 'Anybody but Ted" but I would like to see Sorenson as a viable alternative.

OWHN, there is no W in Kulongoski!

I have seen this scenario before--and anyone who thinks a candidate dropping out in favor of someone will mean all those supporting that person will support the person their candidate endorses don't know human nature. People didn't come this far just for their candidate to drop out, and it is more likely those people who are angry about the dropout will vote for their guy (even it it means a write in) and then leave politics if the nominee is not smart enough to personally recruit that person to join the fall campaign.

This sounds like either political games or a cynical attempt to manipulate, or distrust of the intelligence of voters.

TA,

You stated that elected union leaders offered Hill a quid pro quo for entering the race. I don't believe there was any such thing. SEIU members had a really tough decision in the last gubenatorial race as Ted seemed like a very strong candidate and Hill also had a very strong record as supporting workers.

Ted has not followed through on what I heard him say to members of SEIU during the last election and those members decided to go with a candidate who has a very strong record of supporting workers.

You also imply that the folks making this decision were back room cigar chomping goom-bahs.

In fact, the people making this decision for SEIU were elected leaders that represent members throughout the state. SEIU has over 40,000 members in Oregon, so it makes sense that with that many people a representative democracy would be needed.

T. A.,

I believe that you are mistaking me for my mother. My name is Robin, her name is Rachel. We are both active in Corvallis, and although I haven't met you in person yet, we did exchange emails a one point last year. I don't get out of the house much these days (I have a three-month old daughter), but I've been meaning to drop by Drinking Liberally soon - when I get a chance to, I'll introduce myself.

As for the column, my point is that although Kulongoski sucks, he won't be beaten with both Hill and Sorenson in the race. I guess I do like Sorenson better than Hill, and will probably vote for Sorenson in the primary. However, my priority is replacing Ted Kulongoski because he is bad for the Democratic Party. That's not going to happen with two primary challengers.

In Lane County there are several elected officials that say if they want to get on TV they will shadow Mayor Leiken of Springfield. He probably has more influence with the local media than anyone in Lane County since Jim Torrey left office. If Peter cannot get traction in Lane County why would you think he would get traction statewide? As for Ted and welcoming new business, in Lane County he welcomed Molecular Probes recent expansion, Royal Carribean siting their West Coast operation that will employ 1000 employees and Symantec's recent expansion to employ another 1000 on top of their nearly 1000 they are currently employing.

Bottom line. Sorry Pete, it's over.

my point is that although Kulongoski sucks, he won't be beaten with both Hill and Sorenson in the race

People who make such sweeping predictions are sometimes proven very wrong by election results. Example: In 1980 I worked for a woman who said "You poor deluded person, thinking a black man has a chance to win in S. Salem". She thought it was obvious a white person would be elected to that state rep. seat overwhelmingly.

As we now know, Jim lost that election by 61 votes (one of the W. Coast folk who lost elections because Carter conceded early). It is often forgotten that the woman Jim defeated in the 1982 general election had been Reagan's campaign manager in 1980 and the district then was known as one of the 3 most Republican in the state. He became the first black legislator elected from outside Portland, and after being state rep. was elected state sen. and then state treasurer.

Which is why I seldom make or believe election predictions.

A recent poll conducted by Survey USA ranks our current governor 45th out of 50 in the nation with an approval rating of just 35%, making him a liability for Democrats who want to hold onto the governor's office. I don't know anyone who isn't disappointed in our current Governor. If we elect Ted we will just get 4 more years of the same lack luster performance. Much of what I am hearing from Ted is election year rhetoric. He has had 4 years. I'm not impressed.

Jim Hill in an independent poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports states that Jim has the highest favorability rating of any candidate runnning for Governor. And he has the ability to make history once more by becoming the first African American elected as Governor in Oregon.

It's time to move forward. It is time to unite behind someone that has the smarts and determination to move our state forward - Jim Hill. He's not an incredible speaker but he is an incredible man who is honest and determined to make Oregon better. I like Pete a whole lot but his numbers remain at 4% even after over a year of campaigning. Don't waste your vote.

Hill has the best chance of winning the election in November.

Hello everyone - Ted is doing 2 debates against his primary challengers and had agreed to do so before this column was posted.
- robin - "By initially ducking the debates, the Governor sent out a message to voters that he will run and hide from a fight if he feels that it is politically expedient to do so." - your qualifier of "initially" shows that you knew this and shows that you knew that your argument that the governor was ducking a fight doesn't make anysense if said this way "the governor missing the first debate and yet agreeing to two others shows that he is hiding from a fight." i personally think your article is dishonest and a mischaracterization of the facts - i don't think you lied. i just feel you misrepresented the facts to mislead the readers of your article and are thus dishonest.

This is a mid-term election for Pete. His seat is safe and most down here are speculating this is about getting his name id higher to eventually make a run at 4th CD when DeFazio retires.

Paulie, I agree. 8.3% economic growth, unemployment falling from 8.2% to 5.5% and the dems want to hang Ted out to dry. I don't get it.

unemployment falling from 8.2% to 5.5% and the dems want to hang Ted out to dry. I don't get it. doesn't mean much to people who were employed in 2002 and are unemployed now.

And lest people forget, those of us who supported Ted in 2002 did not sign a contract saying we were obligated to support everything he did from then on. He has done a lot of things people questioned. He has not explained those actions--campaign manager saying "Gov. had to make a lot of tough decisions" is not the same as Ted saying "I did that because.....and I will be willing to answer your questions".

The debates Ted has agreed to will be interesting. Will he answer every question responsively and explain his actions? Or will he quote statistics as if everyone's life is as the statistics say "people" are living? Will he say "I thought that necessary, therefore I..."?

Will he explain why a cigarette tax is good this year but not during a legislative session?

I could go on. I was impressed with Jim Hill and the way he answered questions at Marion County Democrats. You could tell some were tough questions by the way he started his answer--but he did give responsive answers, incl. in at least one case "no, I don't agree with that".

I don't care if the unemployment rate in this state were 2.4 and the growth rate were 10%. I would still vote for the person who answers questions from the public over the person who doesn't.

Paulie and Josh seem involved in peer pressure politics, and that has been shown not to work.

Jobs? At Taco bell? Come on, most of the public is not seeing the benefits of all these new jobs. Oregon has lower unemployment but they are service jobs with low pay and no benefits. Our energy costs are out the roof and our health care costs are killing average Oregonians. Is Oregon's economy better? I don't think so. The Governor attacks public employees wages and benefits instead of finding ways to bring the average joe up to a living wage. What type of strategy is that? A race to the bottom?

Most voters vote for fiscal responsibility and bread and butter issues

Yes Paulie, concern for fiscal responsibility and bread and butter issues--that includes cc and hill supporter, and the folks who wanted more public discussion of the 2005 budget, and people who wonder what was wrong with a cigarette tax in 2005 if it is OK for Ted to support one this year---not to mention copying Minnis's school funding plan.

Ted was supposed to be the outgoing, charismatic governor who spoke to the public and interacted with legislators more than Kitzhaber did. Instead we got "I'm doing what is best for Oregon and shouldn't have to debate my opponents more than twice".

People who like Ted should vote for him, but people who have questions or are disappointed have the right to support Hill, Westlund, Sorenson, or anyone else.

CC

Considering 80% of all the corporations of Oregon are Sub-S corps they are alreay paying their fair share. As for the larger corporations are concerned that is called property taxes. If services are important to you, especially within the local government frame, then larger corporations are necessary.

I wish you luck in whomever you support. I will continue to support Ted and your candidates can destroy small business by raising corporate income taxes.