Trio of Senate candidates find lots to agree on

By Bob Albrecht
April 3, 2008

The tone was mostly cordial Wednesday night when three candidates for the U.S. Senate debated before about 100 students at the University of Oregon School of Law.

As noted on the John Frohnmayer Blog:

Members at a very well-attended membership meeting on Monday, March 17, voted overwhelmingly to endorse the candidacy of John Frohnmayer for US Senate. The endorsement came at the end of a long evening at which Frohnmayer, an Independent, and Democrats Steve Novick and Jeff Merkley each pitched the members for their support.

Jim Torrey, former 2-term Mayor of Eugene, has filed to run again for that office in the upcoming non-partisan May Primary against incumbent Mayor, Kitty Piercy.

Torrey is the first member of the Independent Party of Oregon to run for local office. The office of Mayor is nonpartisan, so none of the candidates run as representatives of their political parties. Mr. Torrey has not sought the endorsement of the Independent Party for any office.

From the Register Guard:

Torrey said he wants to become mayor because the city must do more to fight crime, create jobs, fix streets and improve transportation. He faulted Piercy, who is seeking re-election for a second term, for not providing leadership in those areas.

Eugene is Oregon's second-largest city.

Daily Astorian Editorial, January 3, 2008:

John Frohnmayer is the most interesting politician in Oregon this campaign season. Running as an Independent candidate for U.S. senator, Frohnmayer has a simple strategy.

John Frohnmayer's senate candidacy might be a pipe dream. Or it might work.
In a three-way race, he reasons, a candidate will likely win with 35 percent of the vote.

Nation crumbles as senators play games America can’t survive alternate self-destructive cycles of D’s and R’s

Daily Astorian Editorial
Thursday, December 13, 2007

What's wrong with this picture? Across a broad spectrum, America is in crisis. In response, congressional leaders play a game of chicken in order to position themselves for the 2008 election.

When the Senate convened Wednesday, Majority Leader Harry Reid read from a list of some 100 bills that are held up by single Republican holds. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell responded by citing a Gallup Poll which reveals the low esteem of the Democratic-led Congress, because of its meager product.

A windmill worth tilting at

Independent candidate John Frohnmayer joins the race for the
U.S. Senate from Oregon
Friday, September 14, 2007

John Frohnmayer, former Republican and former Democrat, said this week that he wants to be U.S. senator from Oregon as an independent because partisanship has driven moderation and compromise from modern politics.

Former NEA chair may run for Senate
STEVE LAW
Statesman Journal