Surveying the post-election battlefield

This is how it turned out...

A day of elation. You should have seen it. On Wednesday, walking around my neighborhood in southeast Portland, everyone was grinning, happy. It was rainy and cold, as is typical at this time of year, but there was a "lightness of being" (to borrow a phrase from Milan Kundera) prevalent in the demeanor of everyone I encountered. What a great day!

Over all, the election cannot be considered as anything other than a decisive victory for progressives and a defeat for conservatives. It is also the second consecutive election to repudiate Junior Bush directly. The Democrats picked up at least 25 seats in the House of Representatives for the second time in as many election cycles; it's been 70 years since that has happened for a party. In the Senate, the results are not as decisive, but the Democrats will pick up at least 5 Senate seats.

On to the results (as of Wednesday evening at ~5pm):

Candidates

President: Barack Obama, Democrat.
Obama 364 EV, 63,550,666 (52%)
McCain 174 EV, 56,178,963 (46%)
Note: Missouri and North Carolina results are not yet final.

This is a proud moment for our country. No matter what else this victory may portend, the United States has overcome a major hurdle in its struggle against racism. The battle is not over. Indeed, it will always be with us. But Obama's victory is a huge step toward equality.

US Senate: Jeff Merkley, Democrat.
Merkley 652,276 (48%)
Smith 650,262 (47%)
Brownlow 75,162 (5%)
Note: This race is still being contested. However, Merkley seems to have the advantage since most of the uncounted ballots come from Multnomah and Lane counties, which are Democratic strongholds.

The thought that we might finally be rid of Gordie Smith is a blissful thought, indeed.

US Representative, 3rd Congressional District: Earl Blumenauer, Democrat.
Blumenauer 160,645 (75%)
Delia Lopez 44,484 (21%)
Michael Meo 8,733 (4%)

Earl didn't even break a sweat.


Attorney General: John Kroger, Democrat.
Kroger 775,150 (73%)
Leuenberger 120,240 (11%)
Albies 115,906 (11%)
Brown 51,538 (5%)

Kroger wins. Fine.


Secretary of State: Kate Brown, Democrat.
Brown 666,985 (50%)
Dancer 634,544 (47%)
Woolley 38,146 (3%)
Note: This race is still being contested. Kate Brown has been holding a slight lead.



State Rep. 42nd, District: Jules Kopel-Bailey, Democrat.
Kopel-Bailey 13,511 (87%)
Extine 2,001 (13%)

Easy victory for Jules. No surprise.




Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries: Brad Avakian, Democrat.
Avakian 489,807 (67%)
Goberman 134,282 (19%)
Welyczko 100,201 (14%)

Foregone conclusion.


Multnomah County Sheriff: Bob Skipper
Skipper 125,364 (81%)
Ra'oof 28,900 (19%)
Danielson At least 1 (.0001%)

This one hurts. I know it was a long shot, but I was pulling for Andre until the bitter end. I just know you would have made a fine Sheriff, Andre. I'll be your deputy any time.


East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District , Director at Large #1: Rick Till.
Till 42,640 (36.53%)
Klock 38,569 (33.05%)
Sweeney 34,293 (29.38%)
Other 1,214 (1%)
Note: This race is still contested.

Squeaker.

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District , Director at Large #2: Ron McCarty.
McCarty 72,673 (69.35%)
Fry 30,637 (29.24%)
Other 1,478 (1.41%)

McCarty wins handily.


City of Portland, Commissioner No. 1: Amanda Fritz.
Fritz 90,469 (71%)
Lewis 37,227 (29%)

An easy victory for Amanda.

State Measures

• 54: Standardizes voting eligibility for school board with other state and local elections.
  Yes - 839,892 (72%)
  No - 329,144 (28%)
  
  Good.
  
• 55: Changes operative date of redistricting plans; allows affected legislators to finish term in orignial district.
  Yes - 884,507 (77%)
  No - 265,139 (23%)
  
  Good.
  
• 56: Provides that May and November property tax elections are decided by majority of voters voting.
  Yes - 665,538 (55%)
  No - 536,965 (45%)
  
  Good.
  
• 57: Increases sentences for drug trafficking, theft against elderly and specified repeat property and identity theft crimes; requires addiction treatment for certain offenders.
  Yes - 747,685 (61%)
  No - 474,289 (39%)
  
  Good. The margin of victory sinks Kevin Mannix's Measure 61.
  
• 65: Changes general election nomination processes for major/minor party, independent candidates for most partisan offices.
  No - 759,864 (66%)
  Yes - 394,495 (34%)
  
  I voted "no" on this, but I didn't feel that strongly about it. I know a lot of people that voted the other way. Frankly, I'm surprised at the margin by which it was defeated.

Sizemore Measures

Bill Sizemore took a bath this election, losing on 4 of 5 measures. Too bad we didn't get him on all of them. Nonetheless, one wonders how much longer corporate fat cats will be willing to cut him checks when he keeps getting pounded at the polls like this. It'll be a glorious day when his funding dries up.

• 58: Prohibits teaching public school student in language other than English for more than two years.
  No - 669,160 (54%)
  Yes - 559,263 (46%)
  
  Sorry, Bill. Oregonians just don't hate Mexicans like you do.
  
• 59: Creates an unlimited deduction for federal income taxes on individual taxpayers' Oregon income-tax returns.
  No - 759,600 (63%)
  Yes - 447,024 (37%)
  
  This one has really got to hurt. If Sizemore can't deliver for his sugar-daddies, he's going to be out of a job very soon. In light of the financial crisis that is occuring even now, Sizemore's timing couldn't have been worse for this kind of measure. People just aren't very sympathetic toward Fat Cats.
  
• 60: Teacher "classroom performance," not seniority, determines pay raises; "most qualified" teachers retained, regardless of seniority.
  No - 739,836 (60%)
  Yes - 488,914 (40%)
  
  As hard as teachers have to work, and as underpaid as they are, I'm damn tired of people like Sizemore complaining about them. Looks like most Oregonians feel the same way.
  
• 63: Exempts specified property owners from building permit requirements for improvements valued at/under 35,000 dollars.
  No - 645,393 (53%)
  Yes - 570,736 (47%)
  
  It's probably mean-spirited of me, but Sizemore called this his "favorite measure." That makes its defeat all the sweeter. Kiss it, Bill.
  
• 64: Penalizes person, entity for using funds collected with "public resource" (defined) for "political purpose" (defined).
  Yes - 675,077 (51%)
  No - 659,653 (49%)
  
  This is a real bummer. I don't understand why this country cannot grasp the advantages of organizing in unions.

Mannix measures

Mannix can't win for losing. Not only was he humiliated in the Republican primary election, but both of his measures get thrown on the s**t-pile!

• 61: Creates mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain theft, identity theft, forgery, drug, and burglary crimes.
  Yes - 686,114 (51%)
  No - 684,044 (49%)
  
  Although this would seem to be a victory for Mannix, this measure is nullified by virtue of the fact that measure 57 passed by a wider margin. Too bad, Kevin. So sad, Kevin. No matter how much you try, you're always going to be a loser.
  
• 62: Allocates 15% of lottery proceeds to public safety fund for crime prevention, investigation, prosecution.
  No - 723,601 (60%)
  Yes - 488,885 (40%)
  
  Denied, Kevin. The lottery money is supposed to be for schools, not for your nasty fantasies about punishing people.

Metro

• 26-96 Bonds to protect animal health and safety; conserve, recycle water.
  Yes - 238,571 (56%)
  No - 186,465 (44%)
  
  Hooray for the elephants!

Portland Community College

• 26-95 Portland Community College bonds to update, expand local educational facilities.
  Yes - 158,346 (51%)
  No - 154,763 (49%)
  
  Good.

City of Portland

• 26-94 Renew Five-year levy for Children's Investment Fund.
  Yes - 94,075 (70%)
  No - 39,517 (30%)
  
  Convincing win for kids.

In summary, a few disappointments, but taken as a whole, this election can only be viewed as a titanic success.

Hoorah!