The magic genie who appeared before Kevin Mannix in recent days in the form of a lascivious email has finally granted his most prized wish: all the free media he could hope for.

Amidst the mud-slinging hoopla that has devoured the 5th CD GOP primary, one thing is clear. Mike Erickson's $1 million dollar personal slush fund is not going to lose to Kevin Mannix's meager $190,000 campaign kitty when The Oregonian only runs an amorous story involving sex, abortion and Jimmy Mak's on page two of their Metro section.

What kind of candidate releases an alleged abortion story about his self-proclaimed pro-life opponent eight days before a GOP primary election? Certainly not one who is ahead in the game.

When Darlene Hooley announced her retirement from Congress last February the NRCC's eyes widened and their jaws began to drool as they saw one of the best opportunities for a national GOP pick up.

Kevin Mannix letter on Mike Erickson

A summary of The Oregonian’s endorsements in the May 20 primary election: the newspaper is backing Barack Obama for President, Steve Novick for U.S. Senate, Kate Brown for Secretary of State, Greg Macpherson for Attorney General, and Sam Adams for Mayor of Portland.

Despite the conventional wisdom that Gordon Smith is a strong bet for re-election this fall, a new Rasmussen Reports poll shows the Republican U.S. Senator us still below the 50% level of support mark, and has him with just a single digit lead over his potential Democratic challengers.  Smith leads House Speaker Jeff Merkley by 3 points, 45%-42%, and is ahead of lawyer Steve Novick by 6 points, 47%-41%.  In February, Smith led Merkley by 18 points and Novick by 13. 

Barack Obama leads John McCain by a 52%-38% margin in Oregon, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll released on Saturday. His 14-point lead is more than double his six point lead just one month ago.  The poll shows McCain with a problem among Republicans: he’s getting just 68% of the Oregon GOP vote. 

Millionaire Mike Erickson has spent almost $900,000 of his own money in his bid for the Republican nomination for Congress in the fifth district, outspending Kevin Mannix by over $700,000.  Mannix, a well known former GOP State Chairman and state legislator who is popular among Republicans from his four unsuccessful statewide races, had been viewed as the front runner when he entered the race after Darlene Hooley’s unexpected retirement.  But now, it looks like Erickson’s financial edge could produce an upset.

As the Oregon primary looms near, the race to secure more superdelegates continues to heat up. Barack Obama's campaign announced today the endorsement of Congressman Peter Defazio, adding to current endorsers Congressmen Earl Blumenauer and David Wu.