Too bad! I think the DSCC needs to recruit someone soon and fund them to the max! The netroots are anxious to get behind someone too. Novick isn't the guy. But Ben Westlund may be the guy!!

How is Novick not the guy for the Netroots? He sure seems to pass the Hackett litmus test with flying colors. Westlund certainly doesn't.

Well, the fundraising page stated pretty explicitly that the money would go to DeFazio's congressional committee, which he could then transfer to a Senate fund if he wanted to.

I'd love to see it go to Novick, but that's probably not going to happen...

Good move on DeFazio's part. He is gaining a lot of influence and will play a major role in Congress before long. Steve Novick is a great candidate. Ben Westlund's bona fides have not been earned. Steve has been fighting in the trenches for progressive causes for a long time. Westlund was Kevin Mannix campaign manager when Steve ws doing this.

I'm a Steve fan as well.

I think we all know where he stands and more importantly we know where he has stood in the past and where he will stand in the future. And by that I don't mean that he's not open to changing his mind - he just won't change his standards.

What about Ted Kulongoski?

He did just win a statewide race against a Republican who's got much less negative baggage than Gordon Smith.

Torridjoe:

I knew up front that if Mr. DeFazio did not run for Senate, that he'd get that money to use in his re-election. Y'all made that clear on your blog.

That being said... it would be classy for Mr. DeFazio to give it to Steve Novick... and Mr. DeFazio seems like a savvy and classy kind of guy...

he should give it to novick. it's such a small amount, it will be much more effective as seed money for novick's campaign than anything else later.

darn! oh well, thanks for considering, Peter, and thanks for letting us know now. we are going to win this one, I can just feel it. Smith is done. watcha think, Earl?

Earl ?????????????????????????????????????????????????

Damn. But, at least with Peter we know he has thought allot about it and that he honestly feels staying in the House is best for Oregon. Lets beat Smith anyway.

Bummer!

An open response to Peter DeFAzio:

Thank you for your efforts over the past 20 years in Congress to serve and better the lives of Oregonians.

Despite your decision not to run for th Senate, I would urge you to seriously reconsider your current position on issues of free trade. By opposing free trade agreements with other nations you not only act against the long-term economic interests of your own constituents, you ensure that hundreds of millions of our fellow human beings around the world remain mired in poverty and disease. The experience of dozens of nations, including our own, shows that the path to world prosperity is thorugh economic growth, and free trade is directly correlative with economic growth.

Sincerely,

The Urban Planning Overlord

Troll much, UPO?

Most of you folks know more about politics than I do, but here is my handicap of the 2008 Senate race:

Novick: nice guy, well fought battle, etc., gets 47% of the vote against Smith, which is an excellent showing for a political newcomer. Everyone congratulates, offers encouragement for future races, etc, etc, etc.

Earl B: [alternative #1] great guy, hard fought battle, gets 50.1% of the votes, beats Smith. Meanwhile, Steve Novick wins Earl B. seat in Congress

Earl B: [alternative #2] great guy, hard fought battle, gets 49.9% of the vote, loses to Smith, but easily wins victory in next Oregon governor race. Meanwhile, Steve Novick wins Earl B. seat in Congress.

John Kitz: great guy, easy election. Gets 57% of the vote. Good luck in the US Senate.

Please Kitz, give this some thought. I know you don't want to, but think about the people of Oregon. Plus, I will mow your lawn in Neskowin every week while you are on the campaign trail. Oregon needs you NOW!

BlueNote

Ben Hibbird: Many Democrats, from Bill Clintona and Al Gore on down, prove that you can be "Blue" and not be an economic nihilist like the anti-globalization wing of the party demands. Suggesting that support of free trade agreements that provide economic benefits to both the U.S. and to desperately ppor third world nations is "trolling" is defining down "trolling."

Kitzhaber would be an easy victor, and a great Senator. I second BlueNote's sentiments.

more overly simplistic thinking from upo.

free trade? you mean like how cafta totally decreased tariffs on sugar and ethanol--oh wait, that didn't happen. or how bush removed quotas on softwood lumber... er, oops, he increased them. or how china spends hundreds of billions a year to keep its currency artificially low to increase its export market? oh, not that. um... how about japans 0 percent interest rate scheme? how about those massive ag subsidies? surely that contributes to free trade... er, maybe not.

calling a system that intentionally incentivizes capital flows, while mostly ignoring labor flows "free trade" is a joke, and the result is a wildly speculative currency market, and the victims are mostly working people everywhere.

i support free trade. i would like to see some of it sometime.

Did Defazio even mention or thank the "Draft DeFazio" movement? I don't mind him making a decision that's his to make. It would be nice to think that he might thank people who went out of their way to support him.

I think there is more to this decision than is public.

A friend of mine has a story about seeing DeFazio at a party smoking bud.

Ok --the war on drugs is classist, racist and horribly wrong. And, Ok --this is a third hand anectdotal story.

But that does not change the fact that a story like that one, if it became public, could sink a DeFazio candidacy. IMO it's likely that some sort of indiscretion like that is keeping D from running.

Because why would you just walk away from a free Senate seat?

Torrid,

You could deliver the funds to DeFazio and hopefully he would make the decision to contribute it to the Novick campaign or the candidate fund...

"Ok --the war on drugs is classist, racist and horribly wrong. And, Ok --this is a third hand anectdotal story. But that does not change the fact that a story like that one, if it became public, could sink a DeFazio candidacy. IMO it's likely that some sort of indiscretion like that is keeping D from running."

You mean like you just did? Oh, thank you for sharing your opinion with us. You got to love the power of third hand anectodotal stories. You've just let us know that you are classist, racist and horribly wrong. And a gossip to boot. Qwendolyn, should we make up some stories about you and then post them on the innertubes?

Plus, this is Oregon not. What makes you think that a third hand anecdotal story about smoking pot would kill a candidacy?

Kari: "OK, people. Let's not get into the weeds on trade policy here."

See what you get? Instead they just get into the weed.

Good thing. Peter would have made a bad senator. Besides, I like Gordon Smith, even though I disagree with some of his politics, he is a good and honest person.

The last time Smith was up, I was practically begging Peter to run. We go back a ways, working together in Jim Weaver's office back when Jimmy Carter was president. This time, though, I sat on my hands. If he ran, I'd back him all the way with all the money and time I have (money not being a big part of that equation, so I'm sure he didn't make his decision based on my ambivalence).

Actually, I think it's for the best that Peter chose not to challenge Smith. The worst case scenario could have been awful--DeFazio loses to Smith and the Republicans capture the 4th District. The best cast is that DeFazio wins, but is a rookie in the Senate, and another Democratic rookie wins his seat in the House. It would take at least a term and a half for DeFazio to come close to the power he now has in the House (and in nine years, Peter is pushing 70).

And the 4th District is not a totally safe seat for a Democrat.

Besides, Steve Novick can win. Let's just get behind him now and make it happen.

" You mean like you just did? Oh, thank you for sharing your opinion with us. You got to love the power of third hand anectodotal stories. You've just let us know that you are classist, racist and horribly wrong. And a gossip to boot. Qwendolyn, should we make up some stories about you and then post them on the innertubes?

Plus, this is Oregon not. What makes you think that a third hand anecdotal story about smoking pot would kill a candidacy? "

You have completely missed my point!

1) I purposely waited until after DeFazio said definitively that he was not running before I shared that anectdote.

2) I prefaced the anectdote by admitting that it was second-hand (for me) and third-hand for anyone I told about it.

3) I made it clear (to anyone who bothered to think before replying to my post) that it was not the veracity of this particular anectdote that mattered. My point was that the potential for a story like that coming public could possibly be the reason that DeFazio chose not to run. Furthermore, that it was my opinion that that probably was the reason he chose not to run.

4) I also prefaced my post by stating that I thought the drug war was wrong. The point being that someone using pot is not a reason to not vote for them.

5) Furthermore, of course I am an anonymous poster. But not any more than anyone else on this site. So what. Anything posted on a message board on the internet should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism. The fact that I post under a pseudonym does not make me any more anonymous than someone posting under the name 'Hawthorne', for example.

Qwendolyn,

I didn't miss your point and I did fully read your post. What I take from it is that it was a passive-aggressive post. You say one thing but you imply another. Of course, you would not mean to suggest that our fine DeFazio was a dope smoker. Never! You were just helpfully pointing out that someone else, someone with less pure intent than you, might use that against him

Thank you for your service. A national treasure you are. Really.

I sent $5 to DeFazio as a gesture of more to follow in case he went to run against Gordito, and I think he's swell, but understand perfectly and respect that his seniority in the solid house majority may mean a lot more for Oregon and his district than being part of a precarious Senate majority. I hope he sends my $5 and all the rest to Novick, just because it's classy. If a second-comer gets in, then that's what you get for waiting; politics is all about timing.

So I sent $100 to Novick the day he announced for having the balls to do it, and have been looking further into his record.

The guy is SERIOUSLY impressive and excellently suited to win against Gordito -- you've got the handicapped self-made guy who has spent his entire life working for the common good vs. the child of privilege who has spent years carrying water for the worst, most profoundly corrupt administration of cronies and bagmen in history, only to have a sudden 11th hour conversion when he realizes that he's going to have to run on his record --- and from the deaths of thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in a war he supported, and from the deaths of women who can't get an abortion because self-appointed Drs. Alito and Roberts decided that they know more about obstetrics than obstetricians, and from the collapsing health care system that he helped send down the tubes with the steady work to privatize Medicare.

We are lucky to have Novick, and I hope that everybody here will take a solid look at the next Claire McCaskill/Jim Webb/John Tester -- and insurgent and victorious US Senator (D-Ore.)

I have a vision of a Novick poster or TV ad showing FDR holding onto the podium to stay standing and Novick with his arm, tagline

        "The best leaders are the ones who haven't always had it easy."

When you're running a solid self-made guy against the crown prince of pea pickers, it's easy to show what a difference that makes in their positions.

Torrid,

Thank you for the clarification and for taking on this task in the first place. I have no doubt that it did many good things.

I think Qwendolyn is smoking crack if she thinks smoking bud would hurt DeFazio in Oregon.

I'm looking forward to hearing Novick's campaign message now. He looks promising, if his priorities are: 1) Getting our troops home now, 2) Single-payer health care (HB 676), 3) Putting the "progressive" back in our tax system, 4) Repealing all the whacked out right-wing security state and social legislation, starting with the outrage against all people that the 5 sickos on the Supreme Court just endorsed.

Core Democratic values, long on common sense, and mercifully short on knee-jerk populism.

The trouble with "StopGordonSmith" is that it is negative. We need a candidate we can vote for much more than we need reasons to vote against Smith; although, this is not to say we should be silent about the many reasons to not vote for Smith.

With regard to Steve Novick I was very impressed by Steve Duin's recent column about Novick's history and qualities, but the problem is that Novick is probably not that well-known outside the I-5 corridor. But that problem can be overcome through connections with activists east of the Cascades joining in an effort to spread the word.

DeFazio is a career politician with a safe, secure seat in Congress. Why should he throw all that away on a roll of the dice against Smith, considering the natural advantage incumbents have in an election.

He’s looking out for his own best interests, and who can blame him?

If we had term limits in place at the Congressional level we might see more boldness from our public servants instead of the calculated timidness that has become the norm.

" Of course, you would not mean to suggest that our fine DeFazio was a dope smoker. Never! You were just helpfully pointing out that someone else, someone with less pure intent than you, might use that against him "

Ummm, nope. You missed the point again.

I did mean to suggest that DeFazio smoked pot.

What I was pointing out was two things:

1) that smoking is no reason to vote against someone for congress but 2) that DeFazio might lose votes from other people (not me) if it became public.

As far as the question of who is anonymous around here goes, people are kidding themselves if they think everyone is who they say they are. Probably almost everyone is. In the end, however, it doesn't matter one bit. What is essential is the substance of someones' argument.

You can disagree about whether or not Oregon voters would vote for someone who smoked pot, as LOL and Charlie Burr have done, but attacking me for being anonymous is lame.

What difference would it make if I gave you my name and the name of my friend with the DeFazio sighting story?

Zilch.

What would you do? Google our names to fact check it? Give me a break. The story did not originate with that Harper's letter. I am quite certain that my friend does not read Harper's.

what would the best use be for that money

To re-elect Congressman DeFazio as indicated on the DraftD site.

I prefaced the anectdote by admitting that it was second-hand

Quendolyn the (un)Fair, this is called rumour, and given the nature of the gossip, a bit reckless.

DeFazio is a career politician [...] He’s looking out for his own best interests

Nice dose of cynicism there. Next time you make it off the Buckman Rez, you might find out that Peter is a dedicated public servant who has tirelessly worked for the interests of his constituents. Back to the question what he "ought" to do with the money, it's worthy to note that he forgoes the usual congressional pay raises and instead has donated some $260,000 for scholarships and to pay down the national debt." Does this not interest you?

One of the most persuasive comments I have seen from Steve is that Smith cancels out Wyden's vote on a lot of critical legislation.

If Wyden has managed to nevertheless work with Smith to get a lot done for Oregon, just think how much more he could to with a true partner who he can work with even more effectively.

I think there is mileage to be made there - leveraging Wyden's git-r-done, not-overtly-partisan reputation.

"A friend of mine has a story about seeing DeFazio at a party smoking bud."

Oh yeah, well a friend of my second cousin's niece's babysitter's barber's girlfriend's neighbor's postman's landscaper said that he heard from his mechanic's part-time parts driver's sister's roommate's Avon lady that Gordon Smith is a heroin addict. There's no way Gordon Smith can win an election if that story gets out.

Also, I heard through that same grape vine that Qwendolyn is a moron.

With regard to Steve Novick I was very impressed by Steve Duin's recent column about Novick's history and qualities, but the problem is that Novick is probably not that well-known outside the I-5 corridor. But that problem can be overcome through connections with activists east of the Cascades joining in an effort to spread the word.

There's something exciting to me about supporting a candidate 100% because I actually agree with just about everything he says. Gets me back to why I was interested in campaigns to begin with, way back when. I'm sure we will have to have a sober discussion about which candidate is more "electable" if and when another candidate emerges. I really hope, however, that one doesn't. Novick is the guy I WANT to have as Smith's replacement. Not to knock DeFazio, who is great. I'd rather have both of them up there on the hill.

Ok, one last time. Because it seems everyone is still missing the point

1) This is not an allegation.

2) The veracity of my specific anectdote is irrelevant. I admitted it is third-hand and very possibly not even true.

What is relevant is whether or not DeFazio chose not to run to avoid something similar coming to light. In a close election it's not unreasonable to think that something like that could make the difference.

3) I did not mean it as an attack on DeFazio, and now I'm wishing I hadn't shared it because it seems everyone took it as an attack.

4) If speculation as to why DeFazio chose not to run "sidetracks the thread" on a thread that is titled "DeFazio Out" then where, pray tell, would be an appropriate thread to post such speculation.

If this simple concept is still too hard to understand, then forget it. It wasn't that big of a deal and all I'm getting in response is name-calling and tsk-tsking about rumor mongering.

You blindsided me. I never even added DeFazio's age into the equation. It's bad enough that they have to supply drool cups for Senators who've been there forever - Warner, Byrd, Inouye, Akaka, Stevens ad infinitum... you seriously want a 70 year old FRESHMAN senator from Oregon?????

D.L. Hughely got it righ on Mahr's show in talking about McCain's campaign: "The only place I want to see a 70 year old man is f***king up traffic in Florida or saying 'Welcome to Walmart." And don't play the ageist card cause I'm on the downhill side of 60.

DeFazio is doing a great job where he is and can obviously do more for Oregon over the next decade in the House instead of standing at the end of a very long line of very old men for whom, understandably, seniority means life itself.

1) This is not an allegation. - Quendolyn

al·le·ga´tion: a claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically one made without proof.

There's a difference between benign speculation and making an allegation. Quendolyn, rarely is the occasion when i am right and everybody else is wrong. If you're feeling a bit piled on, maybe just maybe there's a lesson to be learned (and no, it's not that dissent is not allowed). If there's a consensus here, maybe it's that unsubstantiated rumours are reckless?

If you want somebody who passes the "Hackett litmus test" might I suggest someone like Paul Evans? Not only does he pass all the points, but his service in the Air Force includes Iraq I & II, and Afghanistan. He's from Polk County, can appeal throughout the state, and from what I hear has a great amount of respect from Dems statewide and even some national support.

Where can we find out more about Evans? Since DeFazio is out, and this thread is about alternative candidates, seems to me that it's fair to provide info here how we can find out more about Evans.

The major thing that has me undecided about Novick is his vague position on health care reform, which I think is quite fair on my part since it is the first issue he addresses on the "Issues" page of his website.

"Medicare-for-All", including military veterans, national health insurance is the only possible and sane way to fix the ongoing collapse of our health care system that brings equity to health care delivery, and the only solution which can restore and sustain competitiveness in our economy. We are talking about a U.S. Senator here who has the power and authority, even as a freshman, to join Sanders in an existing and building legislative momentum behind HB 676.

I think Novick deserves the benefit of the doubt for right now, since he just entered the race and he deserves a chance to make an unequivocal, substantive, direct statement of his position. On that same basis, however, Westlund is out in my book unless he revises Oregon SB 329 to endorse and commit Oregon to being a leader in national activism for "Medicare-for-All" national health insurance. Similarly, Blumenauer is out unless or until he signs on as a co-sponsor of HB 676 before the primary election.

I'd like to know whether Evans makes health care reform one of his primary issues, and, if so, what his position on reform is.

I would say especially if it's untrue, Doretta! :)

I think what Qwen doesn't understand is that even though (s)he didn't mean the statement as a negative accusation, it doesn't matter.

Imagine a press conference in a parallel universe where Congressman Jones announced he was running against Smith. And at this hypothetical event, he says,

"I can tell you what this race isn't going to be about: It's not going to be about the completely unsubstantiated rumor that I've got twenty illegal immigrants running a meth lab in my basement!"

Does it matter whether it's true or not? Doesn't matter... the guy's suddenly associated with that in everyone's mind.

I was not surprised that DeFazio passed on the Senate Race. He could have ran in 1996 when it was an open seat. (Hatfield Seat).

Smith is more vulnerable now than he was 5 years ago.

A 800lb Gorrilla like John Kitzhaber unseats Gordom Smith by 55-45 percent margin. Kitzhaber is uninterested in running for the US Senate. He is less interested in D.C. Otherwise he could have ran 5 years ago. He was the only Democrat that could have unseated Smith.

The next one on the list is Bluemenaur- Bluemenaur race at best will be a 50-50. The problem with Smith is he is more like Al D'Amato and less like Rick Santorum. He is a practical right wing Conservative. he loses if Democrats field a top tier challenger.

Smith's re-elect numbers must be below 45% in order for Bluemenuar to enter the race. Otherwise Schumer will have to lobby him . Internal poll must show Bluemenaur leading Smith.

If Bluemenaur does not run.

We will see a competive primary between Novick- the progressive netroots favorite vs Westlund- the DSCC establishment favorite.

Kitzhaber,DeFazio,and Bluemeneur avoids competive primaries.

This is similar to the 2006 virginia Democratic US Senate primary between James Webb and Harris Miller.

DeFazio Out + Novick In = Gordon Smith victory in 2008.

Pragmatically, it was an excellent choice for DeFazio not to enter the fray AFTER Novick. Why? During the primary, DeFazio and Novick would enter a battle of who is the most liberal to satisfy the liberal base, dragging out all the skeletons out of DeFazio's closet, which would give plenty of fuel to Republicans in the general election to attack DeFazio with.

Great choice DeFazio. Run after Novick loses hard in 2008. I am predicting that Novick gets 40% of the vote ideally and between 28 and 35% of the vote in reality.

With the measures that Democrats in the Oregon House and Senate are passing, don't expect Republicans to stay home or protest vote in 2008 when the initiative process is being messed with, taxes are being raised, and gay rights and gay marriage have been voted in at odds with the express will of the voters in 2004.

2008 is going to be a slobberknocker.

In response to LOL's question:

Here's a quote from one of Evan's speeches: "And this means universal access to quality, affordable health care for all Oregonians: greater transparency in billing, closing loopholes of corporations that evade health care costs, and creation of a public commission with sole authority for rate increases."

From what I know of him, health care would certainly be one of his top issues, as he carries a strong proud liberal/populist image. Considering the (near) successes of candidates like Duckworth, Hackett, Webb, and such I think he could make a great run. Plus he can attract national support from the Fighting Dems, etc.

Someone should try to recruit Kate Brown to run.

Ross, Please explain why Kate Brown would win in counties like Yamhill, Linn, Marion, Coos, Clatsop, Crook, or even Deschutes. She's a Multnomah County legislator--how many down state people even know her name?

Please explain why Kate Brown would win in counties like Yamhill, Linn, Marion, Coos, Clatsop, Crook, or even Deschutes. She's a Multnomah County legislator--how many down state people even know her name?

There is no Democrat who can win there without a campaign. The question is who has a base in the Portland region and has shown the political skills to put together a campaign that reaches out to the rest of the state. I think Kate has.

<h2>One of the things that people outside Portland don't get, is that state races are won in the Portland suburbs where there are significant swing votes. The rest of the state is largely going to vote R or D. Choosing a candidate for appeal in rural Oregon is a sure loser, the question is how they play in Clackamas and Washington counties. That doesn't mean rural Oregon can be ignored, but it shouldn't be the focus of decisions either.</h2>