Toss-Up In Oregon's Senate Race

PORTLAND, Ore. (AllPolitics, Nov. 2) -- Oregon voters are coping with their second Senate race this year, with this one determining who will succeed retiring five-term Republican Sen. Mark O. Hatfield.

They even get to vote again on a return nominee, Republican Gordon Smith. The state Senate president and a millionaire businessman from the eastern part of the state, Smith in January narrowly lost to Democrat Ron Wyden in the special election to replace resigned GOP Sen. Bob Packwood.

Smith's opponent for November is Democrat Tom Bruggere, a wealthy high-tech entrepreneur from the Portland area. Unlike Wyden, who had been in the House for 15 years before his Senate bid, Bruggere is making his first bid for elected office.

Bruggere ran a series of television ads over the summer that touted his business accomplishments and portrayed himself as a defender of education and the environment.

Smith, who courted religious conservatives in his initial House campaign and was branded as an idealogue by Wyden, conducted a media campaign similar to Bruggere's, aimed at moderating his image and claiming the political center.

However, both candidates have turned to attacking each other in the home stretch, as public opinion polls indicate the race is a virtual tossup. For example, Smith has accused Bruggere of trying to unearth damaging information about Smith's wife and her relatives for use in the campaign.

Bruggere has denied the accusations, charging that Smith is trying to divert attention from the fact that the food processing plant he owns has been repeatedly cited for environmental violations.

Both candidates dug deep into their own pockets earlier this year, with Smith spending about $2 million of his own money on the special election campaign and Bruggere close to $1 million to win the May primary. Both have had to raise millions in contributions since then to stay competitive in this tightly contested race.

Congressional Quarterly contributed to this report.

Related Stories:

• Smith May Try To Reclaim Congressional Seat -- Aug. 12, 1996
• Keyes To Cruise With Mabon In Oregon -- May 14, 1996

Related Links:

• Oregon State Profile