The ballots are here, and it's time to stop thinking and talking, and to start voting. Here's what we've decided; how strongly we feel about it (enthusiasm rated on a scale of 1 to 10); whether we think our candidate will win in the primary (confidence rated on the same scale); and what the mainstream media outlets have recommended:
| Office | Our pick | Deg. of
Enthus'm | Deg. of
Confdce. | Trib | O |
Willy Week | Merc |
| President | Barack
Obama | 10 | 10 |
Obama | Obama | Obama | Obama |
| U.S.
Senate | Steve
Novick | 6 | 8 | Novick | Novick | Novick | Novick |
| Oregon
Att'y Gen'l | John Kroger | 4 | 5 | Macpherson | Macph'son | Macph'son |
Kroger |
| Oregon Sec'y of State | Vicki
Walker | 10 | 3 | Metsger | Brown | Walker | Brown |
| Oregon Senate (23) | Jackie Dingfelder | 2 | 9 | | Dingfelder | Dingfelder | Dingfelder |
| Oregon House (45) | Michael Dembrow | 5 | 5 | | Boston | Dembrow | Boston |
| Portland
Mayor | (Write in) Sal Kadri | 8 | 0 | Adams | Adams | Adams | Adams |
| Portland Council
1 | Charles Lewis | 8 | 5 | Lewis | Fritz | Fritz | Bissonnette |
| Portland Council 2 | Nick Fish | 3 | 6 | Fish | Fish | Fish | Middaugh |
| Measure 51 | Yes | 2 | 10 | | | Yes | Yes |
| Measure 52 | Yes | 2 | 10 | | | Yes | Yes |
| Measure 53 | Yes | 2 | 10 | | | Yes | Yes |
| Metro (5) | (Write in) Jack Bogdanski | 10 | 0 | | | | |
Comments (23)
Only a 5 for degree of confidence for Lewis? Have some faith Jack...
Posted by anon | May 2, 2008 11:30 PM
It's a tight, tight race with six viable candidates. Anything can happen. The chance of a runoff is about 99%.
Posted by Jack Bog | May 2, 2008 11:32 PM
Jack,
You have my vote for any office in Portland you want.
Posted by Lc Scott | May 3, 2008 2:01 AM
Write me in for Metro. I'd shake that place up just a little.
Posted by Jack Bog | May 3, 2008 2:17 AM
Please, please, don't use the words 'shake' or 'up' together in a sentence when talking about local politics. It reminds me too much of that idiot Adams.
Posted by Joey Link | May 3, 2008 2:39 AM
Thanks for the support, Jack.
If anyone wants to learn more about my campaign, my website is www.nickfish2008.com
Nick Fish
Posted by Nick Fish | May 3, 2008 8:20 AM
In the one place we differ, Jack, it is a bit surprising (to me) that you don't "see through it."
Kroger is Hillary and Macpherson is Obama. Now, not that Macpherson/Obama is anybody's ideal candidate package, nor even that performance in Office is going to be great. Just that the Kroger/Hillary 'type' is so destructive and diabolically so.
Not quite a 'lesser of two evils' vote. Rather, a 'neutral instead of evil' vote.
Kroger/Hillary is Bush, 2000; I could never understand talking with a million people for a million years, why voters for them could not 'see through' the campaign p.r. false-facade and realize beforehand Bush was going to do the destruction he's caused. Ditto Hillary/Kroger.
And you (and me) match the same in all the other votes, so the mystery is how this one is not seen the same.
Posted by Tenskwatawa | May 3, 2008 9:05 AM
If Portland used instant runoff voting, it would let voters rank their choices 1-2-3-4-5 ... and then there'd be no need for an expensive runoff, no need for an additional round of public financing or for candidates to raise money again and the winner would be the candidate who could muster a majority of support.
Posted by George Seldes | May 3, 2008 11:11 AM
I definitely agree George - are there any campaigns to institute IRV for Portland elections?
Posted by D.J. | May 3, 2008 11:35 AM
Bummer about the Dembrow endorsement.
Posted by joel dan walls | May 3, 2008 4:20 PM
Tenskwatawa, I dont like your analogy, I think Kroger is closer to Obama than Hillary. Having met John, and spent time around him I have to say he seems very genuine to me.
Posted by Young and maybe stupid | May 3, 2008 5:08 PM
it has been suggested that you and I, Ginny Burdick and Erik Sten would make a powerful "coming together" ad for Steve Novick. :)
I'm game.
Posted by torridjoe | May 3, 2008 5:34 PM
Mrs. Anti-Gun is still in politics?
Posted by Joey Link | May 3, 2008 6:29 PM
Jack, you're in for Metro. With all the Metro Council always thinking alike, we do need another voice like you. That is why I support Kroger, Walker, Kadri, Fish, Lewis or Fritz. Good luck.
Posted by Jerry | May 3, 2008 7:50 PM
Dang. Sorry I didn't see your Metro bid before I completed my ballot. Would gladly have written you in. Rats!
Posted by too fast by half | May 3, 2008 8:00 PM
My wife and I were planning on voting for Fish, but then we met Fred Stewart. We are voting for Fred Stewart. My wife and I are impressed with his clear view of Portland.
John Kroger is getting my vote as well. Wife and I argued about this so we have agreed to dissagree. She is voting for Macpherson.
Our make up vote is for you Jack.....LOL
Posted by Dan Wilson | May 3, 2008 8:43 PM
Fred Stewart is a devoted acolyte of Erik Sten. Just ask him -- nobody ever did more for Portland than his beloved Erik. He's just another Middaugh or Bissonnette. No thanks.
Posted by Jack Bog | May 3, 2008 8:53 PM
Imo, anyone who thinks Macpherson is the lesser of two evils for AG is extremely naive about Oregon politics.
Posted by Cynthia | May 5, 2008 9:48 AM
Tensk,
This will of course shock you but there are many people smarter than you who support Kroger and for very good reasons.
My impression of your McPherson choice is that you find him more partisan. That narrow mindedness further exposes your lack of wisdom.
A lacking your long windedness cannot replace.
Posted by Ben | May 20, 2008 7:19 AM
Tenskwatawa, your analogy fails because you never actually support your argument with anything other than circular logic (and a vague reference to Kroger's well-run campaign). What I think we pretty clearly have is a political outsider running an surprisingly successful insurgent campaign against a tired establishment hack. I leave it to you to find the obvious parallels in the Presidential and OR Senate races.
Posted by nate currie | May 20, 2008 10:30 AM
Glad you share my enthusiasm for Vicki Walker...got my fingers crossed over here, she could really make a big splash on the future of the state if she wins.
Posted by Pete Forsyth | May 20, 2008 11:11 AM
I'm surprised you like Measure 53. It allows seizure of property without a conviction, and would allow police to profit from property seizures. I would never support either.
Posted by Lev | May 20, 2008 11:39 AM
Every one of the measures had a message of support from Kevin Mannix in the voters guides. That was enough for a "No" vote on each for me.
Posted by ligedog | May 20, 2008 2:10 PM