Brianne Hyder

Republican Party of Oregon communications director Brianne Hyder is stepping down from her position Friday to take on a new job in the corporate world.

Hyder wrote in an email on Friday that she is leaving her job with the party to take on a position with the media relations and corporate communications department at PGE in Portland.

The Republican National Committee announced today that it is bringing in Bryan Watkins as the new Oregon Victory Director.

"We are pleased to have Bryan Watkins join the team," said Brianne Hyder, communications director for ORGOP in an email. "His campaign experience will help us elect Republicans in Oregon all the way down the ballot."

Former presidential candidate and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is set to speak at tomorrow’s Oregon Republican Party State Convention.

Oregon Republican Party spokesperson, Brianne Hyder, told PolitickerOR.com that Romney will be the keynote speaker at the conventions’ banquet.

Hooley’s announcement this morning has reverberated both in Washington DC and here in Oregon, spurring debate about the repercussions of her decision for the balance of power in both state and national politics.

Her decision has also prompted a tide of well-wishers on both sides of the aisle.  read more »

Go to the Oregon Republican Party website, click on "candidates" and you will find one category noticeably absent.  There are zero declared Republican candidates for three major statewide offices including Treasurer, Attorney General and the much coveted and political office of Secretary of State.

Given the blue leaning tendencies of Oregon voters in the past few election cycles it is understandable why GOP politicians are somewhat gun-shy (pun intended) about jumping into an Oregon statewide campaign.  However, with their golden boy U.S. Senator Gordon Smith at the top of the ticket and a free pass in the primary campaign one wonders why no Republican has shown even an inkling of interest in running even if only for name recognition or party-building purposes.  Party spokeswoman Brianne Hyder recently claimed a "very strong candidate" for the SOS job was in the works, but every day no candidate declares is a day of fundraising and vigorous campaigning lost forever.