Senate

[ASIANDEMMN2006]

Questions from a MN Democrat,
Is Sen. Smith popular? and Is his seat vulnerable in the next election? and if so Who is the best Dem to put against him?

[Blue Belle]

1. His seat is available in '08.

He has been a popular Senator in the past, but people are starting to turn (more and more protesters are taking up residence outside his Portland office). I think if we ran a strong candidate against him (like a DeFazio, or Kitzhaber), we could oust him come re-election.

[Blue Belle]

2. Welcom to the DU by the way!

:hi:

[0rganism]

3. Sen. Smith will be a tough nut to crack

He's charismatic, and successfully portrays himself as a moderate during elections, despite his strong support for the neo-conservative agenda. He cherry-picks issues that are "safe republican" or "safe Democratic" in which to deviate from the party line to create this illusion. Furthermore, he's managed to create a public image of his professional relationship with Sen. Ron Wyden (D) as one of cooperation in getting things done for Oregon. As such, it may be difficult to get Wyden's overt backing for the Democratic contender.

Unlike some on this board, I would hope to avoid sacrificing Rep. DeFazio's House seat in a risky bid to unseat Gordo. We need to find an "outsider," preferably someone independently wealthy with strong business credentials and proven leadership skill, who can sway a few of the Libertarians in Southern Oregon while holding on to the Green voters in Multnomah and Lane counties without scaring away the business lobby. In short, we need a candidate who can build a strong coalition of moderates and 3rd-party activists in agreement that Gordo is merely a well-spoken tool of the GOP, ill-suited to actually represent Oregon, and incapable of truly independent politics.

I favor Deborah Coleman (big Democratic donor, former CEO of Merix and CFO of Apple) for the job, but I have no idea if she would want it. Failing that, ex-govs Kitzhaber or Roberts would probably have the best shot due to name recognition and proven political ability.