Have you heard? 3 are vying for Oregon's top elections job

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Have you heard? 3 are vying for Oregon's top elections job
by Janie Har, The Oregonian
Tuesday October 07, 2008, 8:36 PM
Even in a crowded election year, you'd think there would be a little more heat over a seat at the center of citizen initiatives and voter rights.

But Kate Brown, a veteran Democratic legislator and Rick Dancer, a former television news anchorman, have waged a low-key, civil race for the office of secretary of state.

Brown is widely considered to have the edge in a state that's registered 130,000 new Democrats since January, largely over enthusiasm for presidential candidate Barack Obama. The former state Senate majority leader has a deep background in elections law and raised about $570,000 this year, although she spent much of the money to fend off two colleagues in the primary.

Republican Dancer, who's raised about $180,000, is running as the outsider who believes the office has become too partisan and alienating. He's never held elective office but is well-known to Eugene television viewers as a longtime news anchorman for the ABC affiliate.

"She is a career politician, and this, of all positions, is a bad place to put a career politician," says Dancer. "I've made a career of keeping my opinions out of my job."

Brown says voters can look to her many years in Salem, where she worked with Republicans to balance budgets and promote sound policies.

"I'm the only one, frankly, with actual experience being in an extremely political environment and reaching across the aisle to do what's best for Oregon," Brown says.

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http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2008/10/have_you_heard_3_are_vying_for.html