House Dems bring in big cash

If money raised is any sort of indicator on which party will hold the Speaker's gavel in Oregon's House of Representatives this coming January session it's really a no-brainer.  Democrat Majority Leader and likely next Speaker Dave Hunt is leading the charge for House Dems by raking in an enormous $1,077,710 to spend on any competitive race this election cycle.  Future PAC, the House Democrat caucus PAC, still has over $1 million cash-on-hand and appears ready to play ball to defend any vulnerable incumbents and go after marginal Republican districts.

Hunt's counterpart Minority Leader Bruce Hanna raised half that amount, bringing in $500,731 for Promote Oregon Leadership PAC, with a mere $76,365 cash-on-hand for this fall's election season.  House organizers and a few lobbyists are telling people they expect to pick up three to four seats in the House while some Democratic insiders think the gain could go as high as six seats. 

A few unique donations include $25,000 to Hunt's team from US Senator Ron Wyden's federal PAC, Holding Onto Oregon's Priorities and $30,000 to Hanna and friends from timber's Oregon Forest Industries Council PAC.