Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski dodged a bullet when he turned back strong primary opposition to win renomination with 54 percent in a three-way field. Kulongoski's problems have their roots in the more liberal elements of his party who are unhappy with some of his decisions in his first term. Since the primary, many of these groups have rallied around his candidacy, but it would seem that Kulongoski remains vulnerable.
The Republican nominee is Ron Saxton, an attorney and former member of the Portland School Board. Saxton defeated conservative Kevin Mannix, who was the party's 2002 nominee. He took 46 percent of the vote to 49 percent for Kulongoski that year.
Saxton is mounting an aggressive campaign, charging that Kulongoski has accomplished little in his first term and that the state needs change. One of Saxton's first ads focused on the need to improve education in the state while another carped on Kulongoski's lack of accomplishments. There has not been any reliable public polling released since the primary, but we are aware of some private polling that indicates a single-digit race.
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