OREGON REPUBLICANS MANIFEST SOME GOP FAMILY VALUES

From sea to shining sea

Not all Republicans were contemplating seppaku this morning. In Oregon Republican Kevin Mannix thinks his candidacy is looking up-- at least for next week's GOP primary. A former legislator and failed gubernatorial candidate, Mannix sent a letter to voters in OR-05 accusing Mike Erickson, his Republican opponent, of knocking up a woman 8 years ago, driving her to an abortion clinic, giving her $300, and leaving her there. Like all the Republican hypocrites, Erickson is running as an anti-choice, family values candidate.

The Oregonian has all the details of the little Republican soap opera that is dominating the pointless Republican effort to win the seat that is being vacated by Democrat Darlene Hooley. The PVI is D+1.

Mannix defended his actions in a 40-minute interview with The Oregonian's editorial board, calling Erickson "the most dishonest person I've ever met" and saying he felt "morally compelled" to lay out the allegations for voters.

The Oregonian requested the meeting with Mannix, who was accompanied by his campaign's general consultant, Jack Kane; Erickson did not respond to a similar request by the editorial board.

The Salem News ran an Op-Ed under the headline Mannix Slithers to New Lows With Underhanded Political Smear. In fact, most of the coverage I've seen has reverberated mostly to the detriment of Mannix, a former chairman of Oregon's Republican Party. The report at KGW< News Channel 8, was typical:

On Tuesday, Oregon congressional candidate Kevin Mannix accused his opponent, Mike Erickson, of impregnating a young woman in 2000, then dropping her off at a clinic to have an abortion.
Erickson released the following the statement in response:

“Kevin Mannix’s smear tactics are the last gasps of a desperate candidate who is sinking under the weight of his long record of raising taxes. Time has run out on Mannix running for office with nothing but lies and deception. All the voters know about Mannix is his dirty politics and shady financing.

Mannix does not have any other message for voters except his politics of personal destruction. Mannix is desperate to hide his 83 votes for higher taxes. Mannix would rather use smear tactics than admit he has supported over $3 billion in tax hikes.

Is that the character of a person you would like in Congress? Deception, deceit, accusations, and higher taxes?”