Well, the self-proclaimed moderate Republican Gordon Smith handily won re-election to the US Senate from Oregon -- to no one's surprise. (Among other things, he's very personable and good looking and good friends with our Democrat Senator Ron Wyden).

It looks like the Democrats keep the governorship, but by a tiny margin.

Probably the most disgusting (but predictable) happening out here was the defeat of the Iniative measure that would have required labelling of foods containing genetically engineered products. Early polls showed massive support for the measure. Then the big corporations poured about $7,000,000 into a media blitz telling how it would put "the small business folks" out of business (like they really care!) and totally missing the main point of the labelling (which is not just health concerns). The supporters only had about $2,000 for their campaign. Result: the measure is defeated ca. 80%-20%.

More important than the issue of labelling or not labelling genetically engineered foods is the fact that elections (especially ballot measures) seem to be won or lost based on who spends the most. Grassroots candidates and measures don't have much chance against the "megacorporocracy."

The Universal Health Plan Initiative was also soundly defeated -- as it deserved to be. It's a nice idea, but the proposed legislation was not well thought out and was too huge a step to take all at once. I do hope similar but more workable measures will be introduced by the Legislature, with our urging.

A few local and regional races had positive outcomes, IMO. All our Democratic US Representatives won re-election, and most of the State Legislature races went as expected. There was a Metro Councillor race in which the woman who wanted to undermine Portland's "Urban Growth Boundary" (easing the way to LA-type sprawl) was defeated. Yea!!

But the puzzlement to me is this:
Nationwide and even within many states, the voters seemed to vote for tax reduction or rejection of tax increases. The populace seems willing to let mega-billionaires pass on their entire estates tax free to some distant relative (or anyone else of their choosing?) at their death, because "that money has already been taxed and it's unfair to tax it again."
So what do folks in Multnomah County (e.g., Portland) do? They easily pass three measures -- for children's services, parks and recreation, and libraries -- that may each increase PROPERTY TAXES by 3% per year!
Not that the projects aren't worthy, but why are folks so willing to add almost 10% to the property taxes of homeowners who may be on limited, fixed incomes? (Propery taxes in Oregon no longer have any exemption for low income folks, nor can you write off against them the cost of improvements to your property that increase its value.)

Anyway, I think the results in Oregon were on the whole far more positive than the nationwide results.

Genie