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State Senate 19
 Senator
Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin
Interim email: sen.richarddevlin@state.or.us
Website: http://www.leg.state.or.us/devlin
District: Includes parts of the three
counties in the Tri-Met, Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties
- the area near the southern merger of I-205 and I-5. About two-thirds
of the district is in Clackamas, including the cities of West Linn
and Lake Oswego and most of Tualatin. There's also a piece of southwest
Portland.”
Background: This is upper-income suburban
country – West Linn and Lake Oswego are about as high end as
any community in Oregon – and theoretically should be Republican
stomping grounds. It was, some years back, but it has become competitive
with Democrats gaining the upper hand; the piece of southwest Portland
helps the Democrats here. One key indicator here came in 2002 when
Jim Zupancic, a well-financed and highly-skilled attorney ran for
one of the House seats here, and lost to Democrat Greg McPherson,
who seems to have locked down his seat (no Republican opposition
at all in 2004); the Republican House member here, Scott Bruun,
had a close race in 2004.
Richard Devlin, elected to three House terms
here before the Senate in 2002, ran fairly close in 2002 –
defeating Republican Bob Tiernan with 51.5%. He made all of that
winning margin in the small Portland section of the district, narrowly
losing the Clackamas and Washington county parts.
Bottom line: Since those are the parts
of the district which have been growing, Devlin has his work cut
out. This is logically one of the top Republican targets for 2006.
But the initial edge still has to go to Devlin. He's been running
here for a decade now, is well known and organized and has no obvious
political disabilities. No one has filed yet.
-
Randy Stapilus
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