Sleepy time in Oregon
As we conked out for a while, some of our early-bird and East Coast readers were no doubt starting their days. For them, here's a summary of where things stack up out this way:
The entire Oregon congressional delegation got re-elected, except for Merkley, who wasn't up for re-election. Wheeler coasted in the state treasurer's office. Yawn.
More interestingly, the governor's race is still officially close, but by our math Kitzhaber can't lose. Multnomah County will turn out to be Deadley for Dudley. The Metro president race is much tighter, with Stacey having a tiny edge over Hughes in our projections; that one could end up in recount territory. On the Multnomah County commission, Smith whacked Collymore upside the head. Some of the area's legislative races are a bit beyond the reach of our radar, but Nick Kahl got bounced, while Rob Kremer's wife failed to oust the Quaker Oats guy from Tualatin who spent, like, a jillion dollars. Perhaps the Republicans in that district should have nominated Steve Griffith.
The statewide mandatory jail time ballot measure passed, as did dedicating lottery money for parks. A new Multnomah County property tax for the Oregon Historical Society made it (gag), and the groundwork for a sneaky new taxing district for the county library was also approved. The casino bombed, Tri-Met's bond issue went down in well deserved flames, Portland voters finally got "clean money" election financing off their overloaded backs, and some of the musical chair games the county commissioners wanted to play with their seats were thwarted. Term limits at the county were preserved.
On the comic side, Fireman Randy's bond issue for new fire trucks is losing, but only by a hair. I'm sure county elections workers are worried that he might show up at their place with his building inspector toughs if they don't find him about 500 more yes votes by lunchtime. That ballot measure was a referendum on the Fireman himself, and he looks almost as vulnerable as Mayor Creepy at the moment. Maybe he ought to take a smart pill before he winds up in a weekday morning book club next to Kahl.
| Posted at 4:57 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (26)
Thanks for the wrap up!
We voted and sent our ballots in via overnight mail last week. Cost us $15 but worth it!
Posted by Portland Native...traveling the USA | November 3, 2010 5:35 AM
Nice recap, Jack.
The Washington St. Results are also going to be interesting. It appears that a lot of the anti-tax ballot measures passed. And the tax increase measures failed.
It'll be curious how that affects WA/OR relationships.
Posted by Justin | November 3, 2010 6:25 AM
That library thing is truly ugly.
Down balott issues get zero media coverage and analysis, andand with no organized opposition, Kaufman and company sold their Big Lie to an un interested but emotionally reactive electorate.
WE will now have another taxing entity supplying ever greater benefits to its public employee union employees.
Hey, its all for the kids / seniors and PERS.
Posted by Nonny Mouse | November 3, 2010 7:22 AM
And it looks like Oregon is going to go to an Annual Legislative session. I find that very interesting.
Posted by Justin | November 3, 2010 7:27 AM
Tom Brokaw on NBC summed it up best last night when he made the point that voters illogically blamed Democrats for the problems caused by Republicans.
Posted by Peter Apanel | November 3, 2010 7:33 AM
I'll predict Hughes winning Metro chief by 10,000-14,000 votes.
Posted by ecohuman | November 3, 2010 7:55 AM
"illogically blamed Democrats for the problems caused by Republicans."
What do you think Obama's been trying to do for the past two years? It's more like netiher side has a clue, so maybe new blood will change things.
"That ballot measure was a referendum on the Fireman himself"
I'm sure he's plotting the next several years of water rate increase in revenge.
BTW - It's gotta be DefCon4 at TriMet. They're gonna have to take back pop bottles to get to that magical "we've-turned-the-first-shovel-on-the-Milwaukie-rail-its-too-late-to-stop-now" moment.
Posted by Steve | November 3, 2010 8:16 AM
A bit too early to gloat about Portland's exercise in more inclusive democracy, Jack: as of the 7:55am count Voter Owned Elections has opened up a small lead in the Multnomah County votes. It ain't over 'til its over.
Posted by Perplexed | November 3, 2010 8:21 AM
Looks like the fire bond is barely passing at this point. Randy will take his 35 vote margin of victory as a clear mandate to build himself a Fire Taj Mahal.
I'm happy with many of the local outcomes last night. I looks as if Hughes might hold on. Now up by 8k votes.
Governor should be a squeaker.
Posted by Snards | November 3, 2010 8:23 AM
Perplexed, I think you're looking at the fire bond. "Voter-owned" is still losing.
Posted by Snards | November 3, 2010 8:27 AM
Ooops - my bad. Go ahead and gloat, Jack - but I think the last laugh will be on you: shooting down VOE won't do squat to limit the influence of the developers & their enablers you love to rail against.
Posted by Perplexed | November 3, 2010 8:50 AM
"VOE won't do squat to limit the influence of the developers"
And VOE has stopped Gerding-Edlen and Homer from getting new contracts how?
Posted by Steve | November 3, 2010 8:54 AM
But we will miss out on the next Jesse Cornett (snicker)
Posted by Snards | November 3, 2010 9:01 AM
Well, some of the bad things seem to be winning, some of the good things seem to be losing, all in all, after the bloodletting and gnashing of teeth, the sun came up, those of us lucky to be working went to work, and nothing is going to change here locally. At least how I see it.
I really have hope for Tom Hughes. And I really hoped for a repudiation of the developer class. But as I am also a Chicago Cubs fan, I remain hopeful in the face of adversity. Maybe next time. Hopefully, maybe someone somewhere will get it.
Posted by roy | November 3, 2010 9:18 AM
Evidently, Portland voters are showing their support for the Citizens United ruling.
Posted by Roger | November 3, 2010 9:18 AM
Steve: If you think Republicans aren't to blame, here's what Brokaw pointed out.
The financial meltdown occurred during the Bush administration, and TARP was Bush's plan.
And Brokaw emphasized that it was John Boehner who was frantically running around on the floor of the House "begging" Republicans to vote for TARP.
Posted by Peter Apanel | November 3, 2010 9:28 AM
The blame game and Democrats is a hot button issue for me. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats could have ended the war in Iraq back after they retook Congress in the election of 2006. They ran against the war and used its unpopularity to take control. Once in power, she proceeded to roll over for George W countless times rather than do the right thing for America. Instead of cutting off the purse strings - as the system is set up by the Constitution to allow - she would go along. Sure, she would complain about how much she hated going along, but she would go along.
The Democrats lost the House because they were spineless, disgusting weasels and the fact that the Republicans are even worse has nothing to do with it.
Nancy Pelosi was complicit in the war crimes of Bush and Cheney and she should be serving prison terms right along with them. As Johnny Rotten would say, "Good riddance to bad rubbish."
Posted by Bill McDonald | November 3, 2010 9:32 AM
The GOP presided over the economic meltdown and bank bailout. The Dems followed up by running $trillion + deficits and remaining mum while the Fed overheats the printing presses on our national currency.
The bizarre choice to pursue health care and burn so much political capital on it without producing cost savings for the middle class was the big stinker.
Anyway, the last few elections haven't been about parties at all. They've been about the electorate desperately trying to elect people who will somehow do things responsibly and differently. We continue to be disappointed, and will be again over the coming two years, I'm sure.
Posted by Snards | November 3, 2010 9:36 AM
Watching Elections in this country is like watching a game of ping pong.
Democrats, republicans, Democrats, republicans,Democrats, republicans,Democrats, republicans!
Republicans get the serve!
The problem is, this game never seems to have an ending.
THE DAILY SHOW
Posted by al m | November 3, 2010 9:43 AM
A country should have at least as many major political parties as they have broadcast TV networks.
Posted by Bill McDonald | November 3, 2010 9:53 AM
The Democrats lost the House because they were spineless, disgusting weasels
What Bill said. It's like the kid who got beat up every day for lunch money got elected principal for a day, then proceeded to spend that day eating Doritos and talking about all the big things he'd do someday.
Now it's tomorrow, he's no longer principal, the bully is back on the playground, and he's trying to act cool. I say "better pack a lunch".
Posted by ecohuman | November 3, 2010 10:19 AM
"If you think Republicans aren't to blame, here's what Brokaw pointed out."
I'll re-state, both are to blame. If Reid would've lost Schumer is in Wall Street's pocket and don't forget one of Obama's biggest contributors was BP.
Believe me, I am not stangding up for the Rs, the Ds just don't have that much better a product.
Posted by Steve | November 3, 2010 10:41 AM
Is this going to be one of those elections where the Dem carries about six counties, all with 100 miles of Portland, loses everywhere else and then proclaims a victory for the people of Oregon?
Posted by The Other Jimbo | November 3, 2010 10:52 AM
I stand corrected:
Kitz carried seven counties.
Posted by The Other Jimbo | November 3, 2010 11:03 AM
Is this going to be one of those elections where the Dem carries about six counties, all with 100 miles of Portland, loses everywhere else and then proclaims a victory for the people of Oregon?
Well, since most of the people in Oregon live in those six counties, I would say, Yes.
Posted by Justin | November 3, 2010 11:07 AM
Poor California and Oregon, you guys got stuck in the flooding engine room and the water-tight hatches were shut on the SS Obama.
Posted by pchuck | November 3, 2010 12:01 PM