Mike Erickson

Progressive robocaller Moses Ross said Thursday that the outcome of the 5th Congressional District race was probably not going to be impacted by a national organization targeting state Sen. Kurt Schrader (D-Canby) because Mike Erickson (R-Lake Oswego) was having trouble building momentum in his campaign.

DENVER--U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Springfield) spoke enthusiastically on Wednesday about congressional nominee State Sen. Kurt Schrader’s (D-Canby) chances of holding onto outgoing Rep. Darlene Hooley’s (D-West Linn) seat because of a continuous line of controversies surrounding Mike Erickson (R-Lake Oswego).

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer touted the strength of state Sen. Kurt Schrader’s (D-Canby) congressional campaign Monday by saying Schrader had a strong lead over Mike Erickson (R-Lake Oswego).

The next Attorney General might see a bump in his paycheck, Arnold backs out on Smith and the Peace Party may bring Ralph Nader's dream of Oregon candidacy to a reality. Here are this week's Winners & Losers.

U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) avoided answering a question as to whether he was going to endorse congressional candidate Mike Erickson (R-Lake Oswego), the day after allegations surfaced that the 5th Congressional Distruct candidate lied about a trip to Cuba, calling it a humanitarian mission, while the trip organizer told The Oregonian it was more of a vacation.

Erickson had spent Monday defending himself against the "smear tactics" he said The Oregonian used in writing the story about his 2004 trip, and he urged voters and the media to return to issues facing voters. But Smith, the state's junior U.S. senator, did not defend Erickson.

"Mike's got some special issues," Smith said Monday as he was leaving a meeting with ranchers during a campaign stop in John Day.

Mike Erickson -- the Republican candidate in the 5th Congressional District -- called an Oregonian story that claimed he lied about the nature a 2004 trip to Cuba a "smear tactic" during a press conference Monday

In its story, the paper said Erickson (R-Lake Oswego) used the trip to purchase Cuban cigars and party. Erickson has said the trip was a humanitarian effort to deliver medical aid to impoverished Cubans.

At a Monday news conference, Erickson questioned the legitimacy of the Oregonian story, saying the paper got its facts wrong when it wrote that a clinic Erickson said he visited didn't exist.

"It is time to get past these kinds of smear tactics and start focusing on real issues that matter to the voters," Erickson said, according to a statement issued by his campaign.  (Hundreds) of citizens benefitted from the supplies the group brought, and those Cuban's that received our help were thankful."

To say Monday has been a rough day for 5th Congressional District candidate Mike Erickson’s campaign is probably something of an understatement.

In a stunning 1,200-word piece published over the weekend, The Oregonian detailed a 2004 trip Erickson took to Cuba which the Republican businessman has said was a humanitarian relief trip. But the paper reported that the jaunt was instead a “pleasure trip” filled with partying and Cuban cigars.

Sensing the potential damage the story could do to a candidacy that has already been roiled by allegations that Erickson paid for an ex-girlfriend’s abortion, Erickson’s campaign is holding a press conference Tuesday afternoon to address the 2004 trip.

Erickson is facing off against state Sen. Kurt Schrader (D-Canby) for the seat of U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-West Linn), who is retiring after six terms. Erickson defeated former state party chair Kevin Mannix in the May primary.

Steve Mayes reports a must-read story in the Sunday Oregonian on more creative stories by fifth district congressional candidate Mike Erickson regarding his alleged 2004 "humanitarian" trip to Cuba.

This week children's toys are a bit safer and the Erickson campaign is stirring up controversy at local county fairs. Here are this week's Winners & Losers.