DeFazio (Oregon) could take on Smith, poll shows

[jefferson_dem]

DeFazio could take on Smith, poll shows

Election - The Democratic congressman insists he's not interested in running for Senate in '08

Tuesday, March 27, 2007
JEFF KOSSEFF

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Peter DeFazio might be able to unseat Sen. Gordon Smith, according to a poll conducted for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that was released to The Oregonian on Monday.

Never mind that DeFazio has said he does not want to run in next year's Senate race. By releasing poll data suggesting an apparent non-candidate could challenge the incumbent Republican -- and doing it more than 18 months before the election -- Democrats have made clear how serious they are about snagging Smith's seat.

According to the poll of 600 likely Oregon voters, conducted last month by Grove Insight, 42 percent said that they would vote for DeFazio and 38 percent said they would vote for Smith if the election had been held the day of the survey. The poll's margin of error is 4 percentage points.

<SNIP>

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1174962303297060.xml&coll=7

[Flabbergasted]

1. Sounds good to me. I love DeFazio.

[laststeamtrain]

2. DeFazio ran against Wyden for Packwood's seat as I recall...

...& it was a kinda 'bitter campaign.

I'd love to see Defazio run. The fact that a progressive Dem from a small media market area, (Springfield-Eugene) has state-wide recognition is impressive.

DeFazio is a genuine good guy who seems at ease talking to any segment of his constituency. Unpretentious, fact-based.

He'd be great in the Senate.

[gratuitous]

3. DeFazio would make a terrific Senator

But I'm encouraged by the fact that the Democrats are looking for serious contenders to go against Smith, contenders with a political resume. There's also word on the wires that Bill Sizemore, the anti-tax tax dodger, might make a primary run against Smith. I think that would make life harder for old Gordon, who would have to make a number of conservative declarations to fend off a Sizemore challenge that wouldn't serve him very well in the general election.

This could get very, very interesting.

[depakid]

4. He's already said that he won't run

So Oregon Dems need to get off their asses and find a strong candidate. The only reason Smith has a seat at all is the the party fielded losers who refused to fight the last two times around.

Smith is tainted as a Republican- and if the Dems want to maintain their majority and Salem AND pick up this winnable Senate seat- they have to run against all Republicans based on their sorry corrupt performances over the last 6 years.

[Ninja Jordan]

5. Why the hell does Oregon even have a republican senator?

That blows my mind. Oregon is more in line with Washington and California, than NV or Idaho.