REPUBLICAN SENATOR GORDON SMITH WON'T ENDORSE MIKE ERICKSON

No room for Erickson in their picture

Oregon's last remaining-- for now-- statewide Republican officeholder has told Republican primary voters in the northern Willamette Valley, from Portland's southern suburbs down through Salem, that he doesn't care how they voted Tuesday, he's not supporting their choice for Congress, Mike Erickson. And the only other Republican in Oregon's congressional delegation, far right extremist Greg Walden, is hiding under his bed and refusing to come out when people ask if he'll endorse Erickson. (A spokesman would only say, cryptically, "For now, he's the nominee.")

Erickson's opponent, Kevin Mannix, charged last week that that Erickson had paid for a girlfriend's abortion-- even though he now stands against abortion rights. Erickson denied the charge.

Even though Erickson won, some in the party thought he was too damaged to defeat his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Kurt Schrader of Canby.

"Mike Erickson had serious credibility problems two years ago and has even greater credibility problems today," said Dan Lavey, a Portland GOP consultant. "I don't believe he is electable, particularly against an attractive, experienced opponent."

Kevin Mannix has also announced he will not support Erickson, who he claimed threw wild crack cocaine parties. Meanwhile, though, Republican office holders in the district are reminding Senator Smith that if he wants their help going back to the Senate-- and polls indicate that he needs it badly-- he'd better fall into line and support the party's nominee.

"We're all hoping Republicans will unify behind Erickson and take back the 5th," said Brianne Hyder, Oregon Republican Party spokeswoman. "No one likes negative campaigning, and it's unfortunate that the Republican primary strayed from the issues."

"As a good Republican, I will be supporting Mike Erickson," added Rep. Linda Flores, R-Clackamas.

The intra-Republican dispute should help Kurt Schrader hold OR-05 for Democrats and should also help sew enough discord to damage Gordon Smith's slim chances of being re-elected in a year Oregon voters are overwhelmingly rejecting the Bush's Regime's failed and disastrous policies, failed and disastrous policies that have been largely rubber stamped by Gordon Smith every step of the way.