I really liked that Knute guy, actually.

I think he has potential for the future.

He's only a rookie, too.

Give me a call when a Republican wins a statewide race in Oregon.

A sane R who comes up from a responsible elected position would be well poised to win statewide, as the Ds are getting very fat and sloppy from lack of a responsible opposition party to keep them honest.

But as long as the Rs hew to their fanatic devotion to racism, climate denialism, homophobia, tax cuts and deficits, and controlling women's bodies, they are not going to have many sane local officials and none who emerge from the gantlet of intraparty fratricide.

Dudley lost by 1.5% points...

Not to mention the growing ranks of Democrats (and Republicans) going Independent and non-affiliated.

Oregon's red except Portland. We aren't the East Coast yet, and way less D than California and Washington.

"But as long as the Rs hew to their fanatic devotion to racism, climate denialism, homophobia, tax cuts and deficits, and controlling women's bodies"

Yeah, agreed. Supporting and voting for a moderate Republican in Oregon isn't possible when nationally there's some very insane and unstable Republican party members.

More people would vote for people like Knute if the Rs got over their image problem.

Oregon's red except for Portland, and The Himalayas are flat except for the lumpy parts.

The GOP return to electability will not begin until its members stop thinking of elections as land grabs, decided by who wins the most acreage. The county rule system was the linchpin of racism, but it's gone and it's never coming back. In America, it's winning the most votes that matters, not the most counties.

Give me a call when a Republican wins a statewide race in Oregon.

What is the political scene in Missoula?

What a strawman. There's no "fanatic devotion to racism, climate denialism, homophobia, tax cuts and deficits, and controlling women's bodies" in Oregon. None.

Which is the same number of problems that are going to be solved with a monolithic one-party state. Oregon has huge budget and economic problems. Our unemployment remains higher than the national average and our median income is lower. Our enormous PERS deficit has already begun taking huge percentage chunks out of agency budgets every year. It's the mastodon in the state living room and no one wants to talk about it.

I agree that no Republican can be elected on a statewide vote. When I realized this was true even of Buehler vs. Brown, any hope left.

Maybe it will be just like "climate change." You can't win the argument so you just wait for reality to win it for you.

Sally, you must not have spent any time in the 4th District enjoying Art Robinson's campaign. Every one of those ills listed are mainstays of the GOP platform, and the Oregon GOP is right in line on every one. If you can't see it, it's because the fish can't see the water surrounding it.

That's fine, keep telling yourself that the only reason the GOP is getting blanked is that the great mass of voters are just too stupid to know what's good for them, it's a great strategy.

P.s. it's definitely true that we can't seem to "win the argument" on climate change, but you don't win any arguments with Alzheimer's patients either. So?

The sad truth is that the GOP has "won" the climate debate by walking out on it. Now it's just more Sandy's and 100 year floods and droughts every few years from here on out. Brought to us by the party that used to be the one more reliably committed to the use of reason.

Mr. Seldes, gauging the Oregon GOP by Art Robinson would be like gauging the Oregon DP by David Wu.

You make these blanket statements that largely are not operative in this state or dominant in many if any others. I think you like the sound of your own rhetorical proclamations.

You have no good defense for re-electing Kate Brown over Knute Buehler and don't bother reiterating the bad ones. Like Allan L. said the other day, "no sentient person" would ever vote for any Republican anytime anywhere. Meanwhile, as I said elsewhere, there is no better member of the Oregon State legislature than Dennis Richardson, and I personally know a Democrat member of the same body who has said the same thing.

I am not and never have been a member of either party, but I think the Democrats in this state are wholly owned by AFSCME, SEIU and the teachers' unions and fail utterly to operate in the State's best interest.

Oregon's red except Portland.

Um yeah. Except for Lane, Benton, Lincoln, Washington, Clatsop and Hood River counties.

Oh, and a pack of 50-50 counties like Tillamook, Polk, Yamhill, Clackamas and Marion. Except for them too.

Yep, whole darn state would be red except for all the durned people in it.