BY SARAH ROSS

CLACKAMAS-Shortly following Thursday’s North Clackamas Chamber of Commerce “Eggs ‘n Issues” event, Republican Scott Bruun sent a release criticizing rival candidate Congressman Kurt Schrader, D- Oregon City, on his defense of what Bruun’s campaign called “failed Democrat policies.”

During the event, Schrader commented that the federal stimulus legislation he helped to pass has been successful.

“We’re no longer losing 700,000 jobs a month. Private payroll is up, even in Oregon,” said Schrader to the crowd. “We’re slowly but surely starting to see a recovery.”

Bruun’s campaign was not so positive on the effects of the federal stimulus program.

“If Kurt Schrader is proud of what he’s done during his time in the House, he needs to stop making up statistics and explain to Oregonians why their children will be stuck with the debt Schrader is handing them, with jobs nowhere in sight,” said Alee Lockman, spokesperson for the Bruun campaign.

During his talk to the Chamber, Schrader insisted that with the legislation, the country was able to avert the “second Great Depression.” However, he also said the country has a long way to go, calling the current state of the economy a “jobless recovery.”

BY SARAH ROSS

PORTLAND- More than 2,000 Oregonians registered with Oregon’s Independent Party participated in the party’s primary race which finalized its results on Friday evening.

The primary, which was the first binding statewide online primary election in the country, picked a unique mesh of candidates including John Kitzhaber, Democratic candidate running for Governor, as well as Republican candidates Scott Bruun, candidate for the 5^th Congressional district and Art Robinson of the 4th Congressional district.

“If you look at the candidates who put the most effort into winning the party’s nomination, pretty consistently those were the candidates who won,” said Sal Peralta, Secretary for the Independent Party of Oregon. “The folks who actually listened to what our members were telling us they were interested in tended to do well, also.”

The 2,300 primary participants made up about 4 percent of the Independent Party’s 57,000 members. The group was able to push through state legislation in 2009 which allowed them to include candidates running under another party’s name on their primary ballots. The legislation allows a candidate to have up to three nominating parties on the general election ballot, as well.

Peralta added that one of his party’s main goals with their 2009 legislation was to encourage candidates to reach out to its members, and he was happy to see this happen.

“This is clearly the most open and inclusive primary election in state history,” said Peralta. “It’s the first time ever that candidates from every political party or none at all had the opportunity to participate in a partisan primary nominating process.”

On a state government level, winners of the Independent nomination include Democrat Representatives Arnie Roblan of Coos Bay, Nancy Nathanson of Eugene, Carolyn Tomei of Portland and Speaker Dave Hunt of Clackamas. The truly independent nature of members showed through in the additional nominations of Republican representatives Matt Wingard of Wilsonville, John Huffman of The Dalles, and Vicki Berger of Salem.

The State Senate had similar results with Betsy Johnson, D-Scappose, Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, Chris Edwards, D-North Eugene, Larry George, R-Newberg, Jackie Winters, R-Salem, and Frank Morse, R-Albany.

Peralta concluded by saying he is hopeful that this process will lead to greater collaboration between Democrats and Republicans when the Legislature returns in 2011.

BY SARAH ROSS

TUALATIN- In a release sent to the media on Thursday, small business owner Aaron Crowley announced his desire to run as the Republican candidate for the State House seat left vacant by Rep. Scott Bruun, now the GOP’s opponent for Congressman Kurt Schrader, D-Canby.

“This election is about jobs and the future economic health of Oregon,” stated Crowley in the press release. “I can bring common sense, private sector experience to Salem that will help government live within its means and make it easier for entrepreneurs to create jobs.”

Crowley owns a granite countertop company, Crowley’s Granite Concepts, Inc, and serves on the Planning Commission for Washington County. He also authored a book, Less Chaos More Cash, targeted at expanding small business operations.

Thursday’s press release also noted endorsements for the Tualatin businessman coming from Rep. Scott Bruun and Lou Ogden, Mayor of Tualatin.

This announcement comes following the notification that Ultimate Fighter Chael Sonnen would be withdrawing his name from the Republican nomination for the 37^th House District.

Sonnen told Fight! Magazine that he was leaving the race for legal reasons although some have blamed his withdrawal on remarks interpreted as being racist which were made on a Twitter account linked to his name.

The Oregon’s 37^th House District, encompasses West Linn and parts of Tualatin and Lake Oswego. Because primary elections were already held, the Oregon Republican Party will need to hold a “nominating convention” to elect the candidate, presumably Crowley, who will carry the Republican title in November’s general election.

Whoever is chosen to run as the Republican nominee will go on to face the Democratic candidate Will Rasmussen. In 2008, Bruun won the 37^th House District with just over 2,000 votes, making the seat vulnerable for Republicans in November.

BY SARAH ROSS

WEST LINN- Scott Bruun, one of the Republican candidates running against Congressman Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, released his first TV commercial Wednesday.

The commercial features businessmen, a mechanic, and a woman asking if the audience has had enough of Washington, DC and Nancy Pelosi. It also discusses job loss, government bailouts, and overspending.

Bruun, currently a state representative for West Linn and Tualatin, ends the video by saying he’ll stop the “reckless spending”.

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