Supporters of presidential candidate Ralph Nader hope that their third try is a charm at qualifying him for Oregon’s ballot, but they’re running out of time. Nader supporters have submitted less than one-fourth of the needed signatures to get him on Oregon’s Nov. 2 ballot, and elections officials say the campaign has less than a week to get the remainder. Nader supporters don’t sound confident.

July 1, 2004 On June 24, the Nader campaign called on far-right Republicans who want to get Bush re-elected to help him get on the ballot in Oregon. Nader went on Lars Larson’s radio show to urge listeners to go to his nominating convention on June 26. The audience was told that helping Nader to get on the ballot will help George Bush win in Oregon. Citizens for a Sound Economy and other far-right organizations are calling their members to sign the nominating petition for Nader. They openly admit that Nader on the ballot will help stop John Kerry from winning in Oregon.

I felt compelled to write after receiving the letter from Russ Walker of Citizens for a Sound Economy. I can’t imagine why he would send out thousands of letters to Oregonians without researching his topic first; therefore, I can only assume he and his sponsor are trying to mislead us. Mr. Walker says that “If the Legislature won’t sell SAIF to stop wasting our taxes, then an initiative is the only recourse for taxpayers like you and me.”

A group best known in Oregon for its antitax campaigns is helping with the ballot initiative effort to abolish SAIF Corp., the state-owned workers’ compensation insurer.

Four Republican incumbents spent more than their challengers to defend their Mid-Willamette Valley seats in the Oregon House. That is not unusual. What is unusual is that two of them lost in the May 18 primary. Final finance reports for the primary campaigns were filed last week with the secretary of state. They show that Rep. Vic Backlund of Keizer spent $131,000, 40 percent more than his challenger, for nomination to a fourth term in the District 25 seat.

Ronald Reagan’s political legacy in Oregon is mixed. He carried Oregon in two presidential elections after he lost two previous bids in primaries. But since his re-election in 1984, no other Republican presidential candidate has carried Oregon. His rise to national prominence inspired many within the Republican Party — and many to join the GOP — but drove others from their lifelong affiliation with the party. His election let Oregon’s Republican senators gain key positions in Congress, but they ended up opposing some of his policies.

Two weeks down, less than four weeks to go. For supporters of a state constitutional ban on marriage for same-sex couples, it has been a hectic couple of weeks since they got the go-ahead to begin circulating petitions. The proposal would write into the Oregon Constitution a definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Like sponsors of other initiatives, they have until July 2 to gather the signatures required to qualify their measures for the Nov. 2 general-election ballot. They will need 100,840 valid signatures for a constitutional amendment.

It’s the taxes, stupid. That new political mantra might guide Oregon campaigners after Tuesday’s primary election. Oregon voters pummeled any candidate or proposal associated with higher taxes. They shot down Salem’s Cops and Kids measure, despite support from much of the local business establishment. They denied Sen. Jackie Winters, R-Salem, a shot at a congressional seat, though she had the blessing of Republicans in the White House.

A hard-fought Republican primary for the Oregon House seat in Keizer and Newberg just got hotter, with charges flying over a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against a company of one of the candidates. Two female employees sued KT Contracting Inc. on Feb. 26 in federal court, alleging sexual harassment and discrimination by a manager stretching more than three years. The women are seeking $2.5 million in damages and back wages. Two weeks later, company President Kim Thatcher filed to run in the House District 25 GOP primary against incumbent Rep. Vic Backlund, R-Keizer.

Thank you to the Statesman Journal for your editorial on Vic Backlund. Vic truly has an understanding of service to all constituents and does not run on a personal agenda. He takes the time to talk with everyone who has a need or concern. He really listens and does research to try to find solutions.