Free Republic

A Republican Senate candidate in Oregon is bucking the GOP by embracing gay marriage in a new campaign ad. The ad, from the campaign of Dr. Monica Wehby who is challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, prominently features a gay couple — Ben West, of Portland, who filed a lawsuit in 2013 with partner Paul Rummell to overturn Oregon’s same sex-marriage ban that went into effect in 2004. The majority of the Republican Party has opposed gay marriage, making Wehby a maverick in her party.

PORTLAND, Ore. — To Republicans, the Senate race in this solidly Democratic state presents an alluring opportunity. Oregon’s health insurance exchange has been one of the country’s most troubled. President Obama’s approval rating has fallen below 50 percent. Sen. Jeff Merkley, a liberal Democrat first elected on Obama’s coattails in 2008, is not terribly well known. And in Monica Wehby, Republicans have a fresh-faced, female challenger who they believe matches the moment: a pediatric neurosurgeon and political outsider who rails against the Affordable Care Act but is relatively moderate on social issues. Republicans don’t need Oregon in order to win...

In the Republican race for the U.S. Senate, Jason Conger is the candidate who thought he would be the front-runner but now finds himself metaphorically waving his hands and saying, "Hey, pay attention to me." The state representative from Bend entered the contest in October with the support of many of his colleagues in the Legislature and an inspirational back story of his rise from poverty to Harvard Law School. Instead, he was overshadowed by the later entry into the race of Portland pediatric neurosurgeon Monica Wehby. She captured the imagination of national GOP strategists who figured she had the...

*Promoted from the diaries – Aaron* The national narrative today suggests that the chances of the Republican Party taking over the Senate in November are increasing as the map of competitive races expands. One of the states that the pundits are increasingly talking about is Oregon. If you are listening to the Beltway establishment, including Rove, you would think that there is only one Republican candidate running in Oregon — Dr. Monica Wehby. The problem with this is two-fold: 1) Monica Wehby is not the only candidate running for the Republican nomination 2) Monica Wehby is a liberal Republican and...

The Republican National Committee began running ads in 40 media markets Tuesday mostly targeting incumbent senators who supported President Barack Obama’s health care program. Billionaire former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, meanwhile, gave $2.5 million to help Democrats defend their majority in the Senate. The early action suggests Republicans see the president’s signature domestic achievement as their way to keep control of the House and perhaps win the Senate. With more than 300 days remaining before Election Day, both sides are looking to set the agenda before voters start paying attention. “Obamacare is going to be the issue in 2014,”...