Three highly-placed Democratic sources tell WW that House Speaker Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) has decided to run in next May’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Merkley’s decision to enter his party’s primary for the chance to challenge Republican incumbent Sen. Gordon Smith throws open a leadership contest in the Oregon House. Among the likely Speaker wanna-be’s: Business-friendly Majority Leader Dave Hunt (D-Gladstone); Speaker Pro-tem Diane Rosenbaum (D-SE Portland), a union stalwart; and Rep. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay), a former school principal who’s highly respected in his caucus. Rosenbaum could alter that contest if she decides to run for a state Senate seat being vacated by Kate Brown for a run at Oregon Secretary of State.
Merkley would neither confirm nor deny that he has decided. “There are huge issues for our nation that are being decided in Washington, D.C.,” he told WW. “I’m seriously considering entering the race but will not announce a decision until Aug. 1.”
Fellow Democrat Steve Novick, who announced his candidacy in April, says that he has no intention of stepping aside in favor of Merkley.
- Statewide Races: Merkley-Smith and the Contests for AG, Secretary of State and Treasurer (Updated With Smith Not Conceding and Merkley comment) In one of
- Merkley Enters U.S. Senate Race It’
- One of These Is Not Like the Other: Merkley and Smith…and Frohnmayer? Photo cour
- Kulongoski and Merkley, Duck Hunting Jeff Merk
- Election Updates: Merkley Takes Narrow Lead Over Novick We promis
Let’s have a speculation party! C’mon Jeff, you’d make a great candidate!
if the speculation is true, then Steve Novick will be all the better a campaigner for taking on Smith in November.
Merkley’s a good man and has been a very good Speaker. That’s where I’d like to see him stay.
I’m still voting for Novick.
Jeff Merkley will be sorely missed in the Oregon House, but he will make one hell of a U.S. Senator.
Dave Hunt will make an excellent Oregon House Speaker, and either Diane Rosenbaum or Arnie Roblan will make a very good House Majority Leader.
It’s over for Gordo, but Hunt as an "excellent" speaker? God help us…
I agree Rino! Theres only two left in the House who are remotely qualified to be Speaker – Thatcher or Flores. Who else will keep the illegals from bankrupting the state, protect our rights under 37?
Linda Flores qualified to be speaker? WTF. The former chair of Oregon’s House Education Committee once questioned the validity of early childhood education. And Thatcher… huh? C’mon true republican that’s like choosing between Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum Fuck. Besides, most true republicans would support Tom Butler from Ontario for speaker. He’s the man who engineered–AND IS STILL PROUD— of Measure 5 (Sizemore’s wet dream). Balding Butler will protect you from aliens, let you subdivide your land and ensure that class sizes blow past 40. The bottle-blond bimbets… Not so much.
It will be a little difficult for Flores, Thatcher, or Butler to win the speakership if the Democrats pick up even more seats than they now hold! Do you really see Democratic legislators crossing over to vote for any of them? C’mon.
Hunt will be Speaker. The questions that remain:
Who will replace Hunt as Majority Leader?
Who will replace the retiring Wayne Scott as Minority Leader?
I still prefer Novick.