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State Senate 15
 Senator
Bruce Starr, R-Hillsboro
Interim email: senator@brucestarr.org
Website: http://www.leg.state.or.us/starrb
District: Washington County. This district
includes the western end of the Washington metro development –
Forest Grove, Cornelius, North Plains and most of Hillsboro. This
is a rapidly developing corridar centered on US 26 (the Sunset Highway)
and Highway 8, through the cities of Hillsboro, Cornelius and Forest
Grove.
Background: This is traditionally Republican
territory, but if Washington County trends continue on, they have
cause to be nervous here. All three seats here have long been held
solidly by Republicans, but that wall was pierced in 2004 when Democrat
Chuck Riley defeated moderate Republican Mary Gallegos in the westernmost
part of this area – the part of Senate 15 that theoretically
should be least accessible to a Democrat.
Bruce Starr appears to recognize the changing
environment; less and less has he been sounding like his father.
It is true that he won his last election in 2002 with a healthy
64.1% over Democrat Todd Ermine; but Ermine's campaign was small
scale and barely visible. With Democratic gains in this area in
hand, Starr can reasonably expect a stronger challenge in 2006.
That would happen alongside what looks like a strong primary challenge
to his father the same cycle.
Bottom line: This is a district in transition,
and it does not seem to be moving Starr's way. That doesn't mean
he's an underdog; he's an energetic incumbent responsive to his
district. But his challenges in 2006 could be formidable. All of
which has yet to materialize, since no one has filed here yet.
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Randy Stapilus
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