House Republicans: ‘It’s going to be difficult to have a bipartisan atmosphere’

A spokesman for the Oregon House Republicans said that several bitter State House campaigns would make it difficult to work together in a non-partisan fashion when the legislature reconvenes in 2009.

“It’s going to be very difficult to have a bipartisan atmosphere next session,” House Republican spokesman Nick Smith said. “It’s going to be very difficult because of the way FuturePAC ran their campaigns.”

Several House races were won by Democrats on Tuesday, including the HD-49 race between Nick Kahl (Portland) and John Nelsen (R-Wood Village), the HD-50 race between Greg Matthews (D-Portland), and outgoing Rep. John Lim (R-Gresham), the HD-54 race between Judy Stiegler (D-Bend) and outgoing Rep. Chuck Burley (R-Bend), had been bitterly contested campaigns.

All three Democratic candidates, with the assistance of FuturePAC, had lobbed accusations at their opponents. Lim had to fend off what he felt were attacks from Matthews on his public safety record. Burley found himself defending his voting record after Stiegler highlighted his 292 missed votes in a campaign commercial. And Nelsen spent most of the fall trying to convince HD-49 voters that Kahl, who was running campaign ads accusing Nelsen of supporting a sales tax, was misrepresenting his record.

House Democrat Communications director Geoff Sugerman was unsympathetic to the House Republicans complaints about the way the campaigns were run.

“Political campaigns are tough, but when people walk through the door of the legislature, they are there to do the work of Oregonians, not to promote a party,” Sugermann said. “We will extend the olive branch to work with the Republicans because we know there is a lot of work to be done.”

“Oregonians trusted House Democrats to fix the economy and protect our families. That’s what we’re going to do whether Republicans come with us or not.”

According to results posted by The Oregonian on Wednesday, 57 House Races seem to be decided. Races in HD-6, HD-26 and HD-37 are still too close to call, but Smith guessed that those seats, currently held by Rep. Sal Esquval (R-Medford), Scott Bruun (R-West Linn) and Matt Wingard (R-Wilsonville) respectively will remain in the Republican column.

That gives Democrats 37 seats and a super-majority in the body, which Smith is worried will mean higher taxes and more government spending in Oregon.

It will also mean that Democrats, who went from a 31-29 majority to a 37-23 majority, will have plenty of representatives to support legislation.