Rep. Mike Schaufler and challenger Jeff Reardon wage fierce battle for Portland-area House seat

Oregonian:

From The Oregonian:

Several of Oregon's most powerful special interest groups are piling into a Democratic legislative primary race in Southeast Portland and Clackamas County featuring Rep. Mike Schaufler and challenger Jeff Reardon.

Schaufler, a colorful, blunt and hard-drinking legislator who often parts company with many of his Democratic colleagues, is facing the toughest fight of his nearly 10-year career in the House after being embroiled in several personal and political controversies that cost him much of his previous support.

The race in House District 48, which runs along both sides of Interstate 205 from as far north as Southeast Powell Boulevard south to the community of Clackamas, has turned increasingly negative.

The Oregon League of Conservation Voters is cranking out mailers attacking Schaufler's environmental votes as well as an incident involving Schaufler and a female lobbyist that led to the loss of his House co-chairmanship. One flier features him in league with Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh.

Meanwhile, beer and wine distributors are funding a canvassing campaign for Schaufler and joining with other business interests to help pay for Schaufler ads that attack Reardon's votes as a board member of the David Douglas School District.

What's really unusual is that 12 sitting Democratic legislators are publicly urging voters to eject Schaufler and vote Reardon into office. Legislators are typically reluctant to step out against colleagues of the same party.

But legislative colleagues who came out against him complain that that he can be difficult to work with and is often a roadblock to their legislative goals.

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