Oregon at a Glance State Profile - Gov. Kulongoski (D) - Sen. Wyden (D) - Sen. Smith (R) Presidential Politics Congressional Districting - 01 - Wu (D) - 02 - Walden (R) - 03 - Blumenauer (D) - 04 - DeFazio (D) - 05 - Hooley (D) Almanac 2004 Home - States & Districts - Elected Officials - Committees - Election Cycles - Guide To Usage Almanac 2002 Almanac 2000 Almanac 1998 For district profiles and additional information on the elected officials of Oregon, please use the pull-down menu above.

Oregon was once the most Republican state in the West, voting for Thomas Dewey over Harry Truman in 1948; in the 1980s and early 1990s it was one of the most Democratic. Now it seems more evenly balanced, much less Democratic than California, more Republican than the Rocky Mountain states. As compared to 1988, the 2000 Democratic percentage was flat and the Republican percentage up. One reason was the showing of Ralph Nader, who won 4% here in 1996, his best showing that year, and 5% in 2000. Oregon seems likely to be a target state in 2004.

Oregon once had an important presidential primary, scheduled in May. In 1948 Oregon ended Harold Stassen's serious presidential prospects, when he lost 52%-48% to Dewey; in 1968 Oregon gave Robert Kennedy his only defeat when it voted 44%-38% for Eugene McCarthy. Oregon in those days was part of a West Coast campaign swing, just before the California primary; at a time when campaigners were not used to flying all over the country they, like National Football League teams in the 1950s, scheduled West Coast contests together to minimize travel time. For 1992 and 1996, Oregon scheduled its primary for Super Tuesday in March, but it was overshadowed by bigger contests in the South. In 2000 the primary was held again in May. Few candidates remained. George W. Bush beat Alan Keyes and Al Gore beat Lyndon LaRouche.

2000 Presidential Vote
Gore (D)	720,342	(47%)
Bush (R)	713,577	(47%)
Nader (Green)	77,357	(5%)
Other	22,692	(1%)

2000 Republican Primary
Bush (R)	292,522	(84%)
Keyes (R)	46,764	(13%)
Other	10,545	(3%)

2000 Democratic Primary
Gore (D)	300,922	(85%)
LaRouche (D)	38,521	(11%)
Other	15,151	(4%)

1996 Presidential Vote
Clinton (D)	649,631	(47%)
Dole (R)	538,155	(39%)
Perot (I)	121,218	(9%)
Other	68,746	(5%)

For 1992 and 1996 presidential results in Oregon, please see the Almanac 2000 online.