BY SARAH ROSS

SUNRIVER- Another candidate announced his campaign Thursday to challenge Senator Ron Wyden in November’s election.

Robin Parker, a Sunriver businessman, joins the ranks of 12 other people who hope to represent Oregon in the United States Senate.

“I believe it’s time for a revival of the Senate. It’s time to make the Senate relevant to the American people again,” state Parker in Thursday’s press release.

In the running so far are 9 Republicans, 1 Libertarian, and 3 Democrats, including Wyden. A May 18 primary will shrink the race down to one candidate from each party, who then will proceed to the general election in November.

The Oregonian’s Jeff Mapes recently reported on a poll commissioned by the Wyden campaign which showed Wyden having a 30-point lead over his challengers. Similarly, a February Rasmussen poll showed Wyden having a 14-point lead over challenger Jim Huffman.

Wyden has served in Congress for over 30 years, with 14 of those in the US Senate. He currently chairs the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests and the Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness.

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BY SARAH ROSS

PORTLAND- In his official announcement to run for the United States Senate, Jim Huffman made clear Thursday that the focus of his campaign is job creation.

“What we need is more jobs for Oregonians,” Huffman said to his supporters gathered at Halton Trucking Company in Northeast Portland.

The campaign platform Huffman presented consists of economic freedom, lower government spending, and private-sector job creation.

In his campaign brochure, he stated, “The Washington DC power elites said their TARP bailout and their stimulus spending would save the economy. What they really sought was to save their own jobs with handouts to favored business and political supporters. We need government to work for ‘We the People’ again.”

Huffman emphasized reforming Washington by bringing in fewer career politicians and more “people with real world experience.” In his speech he cited statistics showing that only 18% of Americans approve of the job that Congress is doing, and 80% believe the government is broken.

Huffman is running as a Republican against Oregon’s senior senator, Ron Wyden, who has served as a Democrat in Congress since 1981. Also running against Wyden is Libertarian candidate Marc Delphine, active in the state’s tea party movement and Bend businessman, Sam Carpenter.

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BY SARAH ROSS

WASHINGTON- Oregon’s U.S senators announced Wednesday they have added their support to a Senate bill repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy keeping gays from openly serving in the United States armed forces.

The announcement comes exactly a year after similar legislation was introduced in the House but failed to gain momentum.

“America is a nation committed to liberty, but you cannot have liberty without equality,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a blow to liberty and our national security when I voted against it 17 years ago and I am glad to be part of the team working to repeal it today.”

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., agreed.

“The very strongest fighting force demands that we recruit and retain those who have the skills and knowledge to fulfill their missions. Their private lives should have no bearing on their willingness or ability to serve,” said Merkley. “This legislation undoes an injustice that has kept far too many excellent Americans from wearing a military uniform.”

Their statements came from separate press releases issued on Wednesday.

The proposal, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010, would repeal the current policy preventing gays from openly serving in the military. It also would issue a policy of nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation, and re-instate Reserve Officer Training Corps programs at previously barred colleges and universities.

Military leaders such as Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen have voiced their support for a repeal, saying that they support the President’s position and will proceed accordingly.

Greg Leo, communications director for the Oregon Republican Party, spoke against the possible repeal, saying, “We think the military leadership is doing a good job in dealing with these policies and we would support the idea that the military commanders should make the decisions on these matters and not Congress.”

The proposal to repeal the policy surfaced during President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was instituted by former President Bill Clinton’s administration in 1993 through a Department of Defense directive.

BY SARAH ROSS

PORTLAND- Lewis and Clark Law Professor, Jim Huffman, has scheduled his announcement to run for Ron Wyden’s US Senate seat for Thursday, March 4th.

Huffman has been rumored for weeks to be the GOP’s choice candidate to run against Wyden in this coming November’s senatorial election. A facebook event created by the Huffman for US Senate campaign confirms that the professor will be challenging Oregon’s Senior Senator.

“The Jim Huffman campaign will be about the PEOPLE OF OREGON who are struggling while an out of touch political class uses the economic crisis to grab power and enrich their special interest patrons. The grass roots will be a huge part of this campaign, and so it is vital that we show up in force to support Jim in his kickoff,” said the campaign in its event notice.

Born and raised in Montana, Huffman earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Science from Montana State University after which he earned degrees from Tufts University and the University Of Chicago School Of Law. He joined Lewis and Clark Law School’s faculty in 1973 and has been a visiting professor at numerous universities in Oregon and abroad.

The polling firm, Rasmussen Reports released polling numbers last week comparing the support amongst voters for Wyden and Huffman. In the poll, Wyden lead over Huffman by 14% with 9% of voters undecided.

Wyden has represented Oregonians in the US Senate since 1996 and currently serves as the Chairman over two Senate Subcommittees.

BY SARAH ROSS

MOLALLA- Despite the passage of health care legislation in the Senate over a week ago, controversy on the matter took center stage at Sen. Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) town hall in Molalla on Tuesday.

Numerous questions about the bill were presented to the Senator, including how the legislation would affect Veteran’s benefits, how it would be paid for, if it could get bipartisan support, if it includes abortion and illegal aliens, and if it would include a public option.

The Senator responded to these questions, making sure to refer back to the health care bill he crafted, which was not put before a Senate vote.

“I wrote a bill,” Wyden stated. “I really put 5 years into a different approach and I had multiple Democrats and Republicans with valid points. I went to see 85 Senators in their offices, both parties, just to listen to them….

“I think that [my] bill which guaranteed, in effect, better coverage for less money, and that’s what the Congressional Budget Office said, was the way to go. Now, my view didn’t prevail but we have to try to export as much of that approach with competition, choice, and markets as we can. We’ll try and get as much of that at the next stage as we can.”

The Senator said there is enough money in health care to pay for his plan, but that with the path this new bill is taking, money likely will have to be cut from other places in the budget.

He assured his constituents that the bill presented to the Senate, however, would not affect current veteran or military health care benefits. Additionally, he guaranteed that he did not vote to cover illegal aliens or public funding of abortion in this bill.

As for the public option, Wyden strongly supported and voted for such measures but made clear that a public option was not in the final Senate bill.

He did say that while he will try everything in his power to get bipartisan support, because of the party-line vote on the Senate bill, support from across the aisle is unlikely.

“I’m going to do everything I can to get bipartisan support at every level. Now, I’m not going to kid you or anybody else. This bill came out of the United States Senate on a 60-40 vote. That’s a fact.”

Even though health care legislation is in its final stages, town hall attendees in Clackamas County demonstrated that citizens are still concerned about the affects it will have.