Oregon GOP Candidate Endorses Obama

The Republican Party is famous for keeping members loyal. But in Oregon, at least, that no longer seems to be the case. First Oregon GOP Sen. Gordon Smith promoted his ties to Barack Obama in ads. Now a Republican candidate for the House is endorsing the Democratic candidate. The Politico reports:

A guy gets 70% of the Republican primary vote, and how does he repay his party? By endorsing Barack Obama for president and the Democratic challenger to an incumbent Republican for Senate. At least that's how Joel Haugen, challenging Oregon Rep. David Wu, decided to thank his party's leadership for their support.

Haugen, a businessman and Army veteran, is running an uphill campaign in a district Wu has held onto against good Republican challengers. So instead of embracing fellow Republicans in a state that's moving increasingly left, Haugen is falling in line with Obama, and he's is listed on State House Speaker Jeff Merkley's website as a backer; Merkley is the Democratic nominee against Senator Gordon Smith.

The endorsements aren't something Haugen is hiding. "We certainly understand why people are so surprised to see" Haugen backing Obama, the campaign writes on its website, citing the Democrat's positions on foreign policy and the economy over John McCain's.

But Haugen's is a position that causes the Oregon Republican Party some heartburn. The state party is continuing to offer tacit support for Haugen's candidacy (though they're not returning his phone calls) while local party officials have shut him out of some events, PolitickerOR reported over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the GOP's 2006 Senate candidate in Delaware says he's been booted out of his party position for supporting Obama.

Comments

[sherbug]

He took the red pill and we have another convert from the machine world.

[unfiltered]

while Republicans are losing elections across the country, one has found a way to win.

[dapperd72]

Bravo to this forward-thinking Republican for thinking outside the box, willing to take an unpopular stand in his party for what his brain/heart tell him is best for the nation. I learned many years ago from my own extended family's hard-right politics that the Republican party is merely a powerful cult disguised as a political party. Fortunately as in any cult (including Scientology), however, there are members such as Haugen who don't always tow the "party" line and think for themselves instead. I eagerly anticipate many more Obamicans will see the light, with all due respect to McKinney (Green) & Nader (Independent) who deserve credit in their own right. The desperate, self-immolating GOP who lambasted McCain during the primaries when they thought he'd never kowtow to the right-wing are simply grasping for their last breath before justice prevails and sanity returns to our national culture in some observable measure.

[Ohsnap]

O.K. I know that the GOP leadership gave Senators the ability to vote against the GOP platform. I don't think they meant that they also had the freedom to endorse Democratic candidates.

[JennyJay]

It is a shock to me that any "normal" thinking, adult human being, could actually vote for
John McCain. . . What is wrong with the Republican party that they think this dishonest, dishonorable, crazy OLD nut-job is the . . . BEST OF THEIR BEST??

[Doofus]

This would appear to be part of an amazing
tendency of Oregon Repos to actually serve
as honorable politicos. Go read about Mark
Hatfield, for example.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hatfield

[TommyMcCarthy]

Tom MCall, Bob Packwood, Mark Hatfield, ....perhaps Gordon Smith:........ all republicans, all progressives, all OREGONIANS first.

In our state....by national standards.......EVERYONE is an independent.

If you can get the party to put that little "R" or "D" next to your name....you've still got to get Oregonians to vote for you.......and when we make that choice we look at YOU .....not that letter
tm

p.s. all the above is the reason McCain, who COULD have had a shot here had he remained true to himself,...... now has NONE.....zip, zero, nada.....................................and Obama will SWEEP Oregon (which has one of the smallest african-american populations in the U.S.)

The moral?
In Oregon, it's not about race, gender, or party it's about what's RIGHT for Oregon and right for America!
Feelin' pretty proud of that
tm

[MrKINOKO]

Good for him. Obama 08/12.

[EuroRant1]

Sorry ... maybe I have lived far past my "due-date" but this is all about politics and getting elected by any means. If Mr Gordon Smith and Mr Joel Haugen want to prove anything they will leave their party, make a public announcement and strongly back democratic "american" issues and platform.

Sorry - but I hate the colour purple ... I like a strong shade of red or blue to tell where the line is drawn. "In politics the middle way is none at all." - John Adams

[westcoastsc]

Let me tell you this. This two party system does not serve us at all. Any politician according to the temperament of the times can morph into what he believes the American people want because of this two party system. The world is much too complicated to say that there are only two ways of doing things. What should be questioned is why a party has to agree on all the same thing. McCain is incompetent and a disaster waiting to happen. The better candidate is Obama. Not to support him is idiocy of many different sorts of names. In Europe where there are many different parties, the politician has to address what exactly he stands for and not get caught up with useless words like liberal and conservative because they have lost meaning. When is the last time a conservative balanced the budget? The democratic party and the republican party need to divide themselves into more specific groups where we will know what they stand for.

[TommyMcCarthy]

Here, here

I second that emotion
tm

[aquarius2001]

Another obamican! =)

[HSTfan]

Nice. One more Republican who sees the idiocy of John McSame for what it is.

[Tommygun264]

This is so frustrating - it's right on the tip of my tongue: something about rats and a sinking ship...

Oh well, it will come to me eventually.

[kevinem2]

It was about Mike Tyson leaving promoter Don King... a sinking ship leaving the rat.

[GunneraGirl]

Praise the Lord!!! Another Soul Saved!!!!!

[AnnieinOR]

I'm still voting David Wu and Jeff Merkley, but I appreciate the endorsements by both of the GOP candidates...

[Coronadoman]

i've recently moved from Portland to San Diego, but follow Oregon politics, as do a lot of us former Beavers!

After so many years with the homophobic, bigoted leadership of Oregon Republicans, the electorate is finally coming to their senses.

Obama: So Smart, Even Republicans Love Him!

[Gary47]

He lost this race months ago. He's doing this just for the press. Now he's got more name recognition outside of Oregon than inside.

[racom]

See everyone, contrary to most held views, there are some repugs smart enough to get off the track when the train is in sight.

[BCubedReg]

Yes, but they usually step off of one track into traffic to get by a speeding car.

[groucho]

easy for me to say, i'm not giving up a successful career,,,but,,,it's about time some people with power start putting the country ahead of their careers. and souls