Hillary Clinton will stop in Portland 5/9 in her 2-day OR visit this week. Barack Obama will be visiting the state 5/9 and 5/10. John McCain plans to stop in Portland 5/12. Obama OR comm. dir. Nick Sharpiro "said that one emphasis of the Obama campaign is to have Oregonians turn in their ballots now" (Portland Oregonian blog, 5/7).
"The price of sending a letter is going up" 5/12, from 41 to 42 cents. But OR voters "who send their ballots with a 41-cent stamp attached shouldn't worry." OR counties "have told post offices to deliver ballots without delay, even if they are a penny short" (AP, 5/7).
In a memo to superdelegates 5/7, Obama mgr David Plouffe "suggested his campaign is counting on a big win in Oregon." Since Clinton is expected to win handily in KY, the Obama camp is counting on OR to provide enough delegates to seal the deal." But of the states left, OR "is considered the most competitive" (AP, 5/7).
Cheaper Gas AND No Road Construction Delays?
The gas tax issue "could be a potent force" in OR. "It's a plan that has caused a split among of some of" OR's top Dem leaders. Clinton supporter/Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) said the proposal "would provide meaningful relief to families." Obama supporter/Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D), in a video released last week: "There's a lot of bull being thrown around about a gas tax holiday." Sharpiro: "She's already spent the money. This is not a solution, it's an election year gimmick."
OR-ID AAA reported 5/7 that the statewide average for regular unleaded in OR shot up 9 cents in the past week to $3.67, making it the 11th highest average in the country. AAA spokesperson Mary Dodds: "It doesn't offer significant relief for families, but it could have a very negative impact on the nation's roads." According to the OR DOT, the gas holiday would reduce federal funds in OR by $83M. "That could result in the delay or cancellation of some highway maintenance projects, which could result in a loss of about" 1.4K jobs in OR (Cain, AP, 5/7).
Want to stay ahead of the curve? Sign up for National Journal’s AM & PM Must Reads. News and analysis to ensure you don’t miss a thing.
Join the Discussion