Sara Gelser

House Majority Leader Dave Hunt (D-Clackamas) was elected to be the next Speaker of the House on Saturday when House Democrats met to decide their leadership for the 2009 session.

Hunt will replace current House Speaker Jeff Merkley (D-Portland), who won election to the U.S. Senate on Thursday after defeating U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton).

Almost all of Oregon’s Hillary Clinton delegates cast their roll call vote for Clinton (D-N.Y.) Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention, but afterward they released a joint statement saying they are unequivocally ready to move forward and support Barack Obama for president.

DENVER -- Rep. Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis) said Wednesday that Oregon Democrats had put forward a slate of qualified candidates for the state House and seemed poised to pick up a significant amount of seats this November.

Democrats have targeted 11 House races that they believe they can win. If they win all three, they would have a 22-seat advantage over Republicans in the house.

"Our chances of working toward a 41-seat majority are good," Gelser said. "We have voter registration behind us- that blue tide - and what we're finding is that when candidates are getting out and speaking to voters, they are connecting."

District 16 Rep. Sara Gelser will run to reclaim her seat in 2008, the Corvallis Gazette Times reports.

“This is a great job, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve,” Gelser tells the paper. “We had a great session in 2007, but there is so much work left to do.”  read more »