Oregon: Will Abortion Outplay the Economy
Campaign Tip SheetPrimary/Filing Dates, Latest Polls, Latest
Ads…Ex-OR Supreme Court Justice Ted Kulongoski (D)
launched his fall ad campaign “with a withering attack” on
ex-state Sen. Kevin Mannix’s (R) “opposition to abortion.”
Pollster Tim Hibbitts said Kulongoski “may have been quick to go
on the attack because voters are increasingly looking for change
and may be more likely to tie” Kulongoski to term-limited Gov.
John Kitzhaber (D) and the legis. “budget stalemate.” Kulongoski
“dismissed accusations that he is trying to deflect attention”
from OR’s “economic crisis.” Mannix spokesperson Mike Beard:
“Try telling the people with the pink slips right now that Ted
Kulongoski’s No. 1 concern is abortion.” Kulongoski spokesperson
Kristen Grainger: “Kevin Mannix sees it as a red herring. We see
it as a Great White that’s going to bite him. … When he calls
it a red herring, he’s insulting the intelligence of the
pro-choice voters of this state” (AP, 9/18).
TO RAISE OR NOT RAISE, THAT IS THE QUESTION
Portland Oregonian’s Mapes reports, the OR legis.’ decision
to hold a 1/03 election on a proposed income tax increase “threw
a new curve” in the gov. race as Kulongoski and Mannix “took
opposite positions on the measure. Mannix: “I am willing to do
some short-term borrowing to avoid tax increases, particularly
in a recession.” Kulongoski: “Kevin must have a pocket full of
credit cards, because this is just borrowing against the future
of the state, and it’s very, very dangerous to us.” Mannix
again: “I’m a great believer in restructuring and being creative
about how we make ends meet with the means presently available
without raising taxes — and he’s not” (9/19).
MANNIX IS GETTING SOME HELP
Citizens for a Sound Economy is running a statewide TV ad
“criticizing” Kulongoski for supporting a “temporary” income-tax
increase to “help fill” the budget shortfall. OR chapter head
Russell Walker said the group spent “more than $116K to air the
ad “for a week”
