Mannix is damaged goods, he burnt bridges with many in the republican party trying to make them pay for his failed campaign, ran 3 unsuccessful times for state office... get the hint Mannix the state doesnt want you. Atkinson is the only true conservative!
How exactly ? If he was so toxic, why were they falling all over themselves to coronate him as GOP state party chairman ? It's why your argument against him doesn't fully ring true.
"ran 3 unsuccessful times for state office... get the hint Mannix the state doesnt want you."
There can be a number of reasons why a person loses office, it doesn't necessarily have to do with a personal repudiation. If the Libertarian hadn't been in the race in '02, he'd be Governor now. Kulongoski is the one with high negatives and Mannix can beat him this time. He's gotten more votes than anyone since Vic Atiyeh (and remember, Atiyeh lost before he won, too -- and he was considered by certain pundits "D.O.A." and "too divisive", I guess he "didn't get the hint").
"Atkinson is the only true conservative!"
I'll not claim he isn't Conservative, he appears to be a fine gentleman, and I won't speak ill of him. I'm only saying I think Mannix deserves a final shot at the job he only barely lost.