OR-Gov: Kitzhaber and Kulongoski Neck and Neck for Dem Gubernatorial Nomination.

[TheresNoMoney]

why is an incumbent governor being challenged in the primary?

He's not, and I don't expect him to be.

[TheresNoMoney]

Kitzhaber should run against Gordon Smith for Senate in 2008.  He is known as a leading voice on health care issues and could contribute a lot.

[TheresNoMoney]

If he wants to get crushed with vigour.  Smith lost only Multnomah County.  The Democrats should work on defending a very close Gubernatoral race instead of going for a pie in the sky 2008 Senate race.

Oh please!! Oregon is a fairly strong blue state and Smith has voted in lockstep with Bush/Rove/Delay. A former popular governor in a presidential year with strong turnout would give him a very competitive race!

You can't always go by past results. I'm sure Smith's last challenger was not very strong.

[TheresNoMoney]

Oregon is not a "blue state" - we need to drop that term.  It leans Democratic on both national and state levels.

It isn't going to vote for a Republican anytime soon and it's not really considered a swing state.

  Smith has an approval surplus of over 20 points.  That's easily enough to beat even a semi-popular former Governor.

Smith's approval rating hovers between 50% and 55%, which is hardly unbeatable in a Democratic-leaning state, especially against a popular former governor who would have no problem with name recogntion. The Democratic party would be doing itself a huge disservice if it doesn't seriously challenge Smith in 2008.

Smith is not nearly as conservative as you make him out to be.  He is rather liberal on gay rights and the death penalty.

Those are very much secondary issues that are little more than distractions from core issues. On core economic issues, Smith is extremely right-wing and votes in lockstep with the Bush administration.

He votes less party line than most Republicans.

Maybe you're right. He only votes party line 95% as opposed to the Santorum wing, which votes with Bush/Rove/Delay 99% of the time.

[TheresNoMoney]

State and national levels are different - the Oregon legislature was in the GOP's control prior to 2004, I believe, although I'm not sure about that.

Oregon is Democratic-leaning on the national/federal level.

Why aren't you sure?

Bush and the national Republicans are really hurting the Republican party and the Kerry states are only getting more strongly Democratic. Democrats can thank President Bush for this.

Yet the 2006 Gubernatoral race is more important, which is my assertion.

Not in my opinion. And I still think Kulongoski will win re-election.

The ACU gives him 78, which is hardly Bush-like.

That's still very conservative, and way to the right of the average Oregon voter.