Barbara Roberts

Former Oregon governor and Barack Obama supporter Barbara Roberts will be attending her eighth and possibly final Democratic convention after Josh Kardon removed his name from the list of candidates for Oregon's unpledged delegate at the Democratic State Convention on Saturday.

"Nobody knows more about men trying to push you out of a race than Barbara Roberts," Kardon told the 300 Democrats gathered at Western Oregon University in Monmouth. "So I'm asking for a unanimous vote for our former governor, and our greatest Democrat, Barbara Roberts."

It’s worth asking: does the announcement this week that University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer will retire from the post he has held since 1994 mean the 68-year-old Republican will re-enter the political arena? Probably not.  But still, the former Attorney General, who came within three percentage points of beating Barbara Roberts in the 1990 gubernatorial race, could emerge as a formidable player in state politics – the quixotic independent campaign of his brother for U.S. Senate not withstanding.

Congressional candidate Steve MarksAlthough Gov. Ted Kulongoski has not weighed in on the Democratic primary in the 5th Congressional District, his two predecessors have, and they are both standing behind Steve Marks.

Former Gov. John Kitzhaber—who Marks has worked with in various capacities over the past two decades— endorsed the candidate soon after he jumped into the race, and today former Gov. Barbara Roberts also threw her hat into the ring.

 This weekend, the Obama campaign will be releasing its second round of television and radio ads.

The new radio spot features former Governor Barbara Roberts, and will take to the air this weekend, while a new television ad will debut today.  read more »

Although Gov. Ted Kulongoski shared the stage with Sen. Hillary Clinton last weekend, his predecessors, former Oregon Govs. Barbara Roberts and John Kitzhaber, announced today that they will be standing behind Sen. Barack Obama.  read more »

In the race to replace retiring Rep. Darlene Hooley, the following are a few key endorsements to watch for in the Democratic primary as the candidates line up their support. The top GOP endorsements are to follow.

U.S. Senator Gordon Smith is waiting to see which Democrat wins the primary to challenge him: Jeff Merkley or Steve Novick: Getty Images Photo
Despite the uncomfortable reality for many Democrats that tensions continue to escalate in the primary race between the two candidates battling to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Gordon Smith next year, Democrats both here in Oregon, as well as inside the beltway, still smell blood in the water.

Speaker Jeff Merkley, the so-called establishment candidate, and his underdog opponent Steve Novick, have consistently portrayed Smith as a firm Bush ally, and have pointed to dismal approval numbers in the low 30’s, which conventional political wizardry suggests spell doom for any incumbent seeking reelection.

But publicly, GOP officials in the state, along with Smith’s aides in Washington, refuse to acknowledge even the most remote sense of concern over the Senator’s reelection prospects.

John Kroger, who’s running for the Democratic nomination for Hardy Myers' retirement after three terms as Attorney General has sparked a spirited Democratic primaryState Attorney General, addressed an intimate group of about fifty Thursday night and engaged in a brief Q&A session.

Kroger, a professor at Lewis and Clark Law School and a former federal prosecutor, praised current Attorney General Hardy Myers, who announced this summer he would not be seeking reelection after almost twelve years as Oregon’s top law enforcement official. In announcing his decision, Myers, now 68, cited his age and a belief that the Justice Department can benefit from fresh leadership.

Kroger did however, highlight some key philosophical distinctions between himself and Myers, and suggested he would pursue a broader approach to the position.

Attorney General candidate John Kroger picks up the endorsement of ex-Gov. John KitzhaberGov. John Kitzhaber has endorsed law professor John Kroger for Attorney General, saying he likes the former federal prosecutor’s deep courtroom experience and his thoughtful ideas for protecting our children and the environment.”

“He's a fighter, and that makes him the right person for the job,” Kitzhaber said.