When was the last statewide race the GOP won in Oregon?

[sg0508]

Similar to CA and WA, it's just constant swings and whiffs.  I do believe the GOP won one race down ballot last November and in CA, Schwarzenegger won in 2003 and again in 2006.  However, since Gordon Smith's 2002 victory, has the GOP won anything at all in the state of OR? It's not like the democrats have put up that great of candidates either.  Kulongowski was an average governor (so it seems). 

George Bush put up two halfway decent fights at the presidential level (almost winning in 2000 due to Nader), but the GOP can't seem to get over the top.  Can anyone enlighten me? Is the OR GOP on pace with the CO GOP in that it's just way too conservative for the state, or are there other problems?

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Gordon Smith's reelection to the Senate in 2002.  As for state level offices, I think it was Dave Frohnmayer, who won the race for Attorney General in 1988.

As for Bush nearly winning Oregon in 2000, I think it had more to do with the environmentalism in the Democratic party alienating the logging areas.  In fact, if Florida hadn't been called so early for Gore, I suspect Bush would have carried Oregon.

[JoeyJoeJoe]

I'll have to check, but I think there were two statewide Republicans other than Smith as recently as this decade - Stan Bunn (brother of one-term Rep Jim Bunn) and Lynn something, though she may have been Speaker of the House, not a statewide official.

[PolitiJunkie]

The most recent Republican statewide official in Oregon was Jack Roberts who served as the Commissioner of Labor, an elected office, from 1995-2003 (but only as a Republican until 1999, when it became a non-partisan position).

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

As for Bush nearly winning Oregon in 2000, I think it had more to do with the environmentalism in the Democratic party alienating the logging areas.  In fact, if Florida hadn't been called so early for Gore, I suspect Bush would have carried Oregon.

That's a partial factor, but the big reason was Nader's very strong performance in the state.

[greenforest32]

It was Gordon Smith in 2002. I wouldn't draw too much into the recent labor commissioner results either as the race is officially non-partisan and, until last year, was elected in the May primaries rather than in the November general elections.

Similar to CA and WA, it's just constant swings and whiffs.  I do believe the GOP won one race down ballot last November and in CA, Schwarzenegger won in 2003 and again in 2006.  However, since Gordon Smith's 2002 victory, has the GOP won anything at all in the state of OR? It's not like the democrats have put up that great of candidates either.  Kulongowski was an average governor (so it seems).  

George Bush put up two halfway decent fights at the presidential level (almost winning in 2000 due to Nader), but the GOP can't seem to get over the top.  Can anyone enlighten me? Is the OR GOP on pace with the CO GOP in that it's just way too conservative for the state, or are there other problems?

Basically, yeah. Just look at their top recruit so far for next year's Governor race : http://www.blueoregon.com/2013/07/or-gov-dennis-richardson-runs-governor/

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Edit: Actually I was wrong about the dates for the labor commissioner. Its last partisan election was in 1994 and it had primaries and a general election that year but starting from 1998 it was a non-partisan race. The position was subsequently elected in the May primary in 1998, 2002, and 2006. Then following the incumbent's resignation in mid 2008 and an appointment, the position was I think switched over from the mid-term cycle to the Presidential cycle as well as from the primary to the general election because it was elected in the November general election in 2008 and 2012. Kind of confusing what happened there.

Also the elected office of state 'Superintendent of Public Instruction' was abolished in the 2011 legislative session and had its duties folded into the Governor's executive education cabinet. But that was a non-partisan position too, at least for the last few decades.

[barfbag]

Bush basically won Oregon in 2000.

[PolitiJunkie]

Bush basically won Oregon in 2000.

Gore basically won Florida in 2000.

[barfbag]

Bush basically won Oregon in 2000.

Gore basically won Florida in 2000.

I guess they were close enough. What if that actually happened where the electors said "oh well he's close enough?"

[Mr.Phips]

Bush basically won Oregon in 2000.

And Kerry basically won the whole election in 2004.

[Pessimistic Antineutrino]

Bush basically won Oregon in 2000.

And Kerry basically won the whole election in 2004.

And Tilden basically won everything in 1876.

[PolitiJunkie]

Bush basically won Oregon in 2000.

And Kerry basically won the whole election in 2004.

And Tilden basically won everything in 1876.

Exactly. When I said "Gore basically won Florida" I was sarcastically responding to barfbag, though on a side note, Gore very well may have received more votes than Bush in Florida, and even if he did not, he certainly would have had the 12,000 African Americans who weren't able to vote because they had names similar to people on a list of convicted felons- but that's a discussion for another day.

The game playing is useless; Bush came close to winning Oregon, but he lost Oregon, so there is absolutely no substance in saying "Bush basically won Oregon."