MyDD :: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in

OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in

by hubbird, Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:17:21 PM EST

Bumped--Chris

Peter DeFazio announced in an interview that he would not run for Senate in 2008:

"This was not an easy decision," DeFazio said. "You don't get a poll that shows you're ahead of an incumbent senator and generous offers of support from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and just blow it off. It was a long and serious deliberation on my part."

Bummer. Pete would have been hands down the best Senate candidate we could ask for. That said, now is not the time for hand-wringing or woe-is-me-ing. In some ways, I'm glad DeFazio made his intentions clear, because we've already got a candidate, and a great one at that.

With DeFazio unequivocably out, Steve Novick, who announced his candidacy to a packed ILWU hall in Northwest Portland on Wednesday, should get a boost from activists who have been holding out, waiting for DeFazio to make up his mind.

This was something that was mentioned explicitly at Novick's announcement during their clever, "opt-out" fundraising and volunteer appeal -- you can wait all year for other "maybes" to make up their minds, or you can get behind the strong progressive who is already running hard and running to win.

Honestly, after hearing it a few times, I'm a little tired of the "strong left hook" line (Novick was born without a left hand, and uses his prosthetic grasping appliance for comedic advantage), but I don't think Novick will ever wear thin on me.

And he can win. You've read Jonathan Singer's interview with him and you know he's got the policy chops, but if you haven't seen him speak, you still underestimate this man. He's not a polished orator (as Portland City Commish Randy Leonard said, in contrasting Novick to Gordon Smith, "Steve Novick is not a cosmetic candidate") but his passion, brilliance, and sense of humor come accross clearly. You can't help but engage with him, he reels you in, so to speak, hook line and sinker.

And maybe money won't be as big a hurdle as some have suggested. As he and others pointed out many times on Wednesday, plenty of hardball style populists have won with huge cash disadvantages. But also, Oregon wants a progressive Senator very very badly. He's already raised almost five large on ActBlue in just a few days, and is camped out at #3 on "todays hot pages". In the wake of DeFazio's announcement, look for this to heat up even more.

Tags: OR-Sen, 2008 elections, Steve Novick, Peter DeFazio (all tags)

Permalink :: 22 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

That sucks about Peter. I expect, though, that Earl Blumenauer or another prominent Democrat will step in.

"And so in the place of the palace of privilege, we seek to build a temple out of faith and hope and charity."-FDR

by jallen on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:42:59 PM EST

DeFazio and Blumenauer shoul stay put. (none / 0)

Then we could have them in the House and Novick in the Senate.

by craverguy on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:43:56 PM EST

Re: DeFazio and Blumenauer shoul stay put. (none / 0)

Novick's a great guy, but I doubt he could win.

"And so in the place of the palace of privilege, we seek to build a temple out of faith and hope and charity."-FDR

by jallen on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:50:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DeFazio and Blumenauer shoul stay put. (none / 0)

One thing the Willamette Week mentioned in their blind item about DeFazio on Wednesday is that if Blumenauer runs, Novick's campaign just turns into a campaign for the open OR-03 house seat.

by hubbird on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:53:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I hate to say I told you so (not YOU specifically) (none / 0)

I grew up watching this guy shun any mention of higher office, and he really freaking hates raising money so much that he would turn down a Senate race, even under these conditions. When the draft movement started I mentioned that I'd be far more shocked if he ran than if he didn't.

Novick is good, and we'll see if Blumenauer wants to give it a go.

by mihan on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:45:31 PM EST

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

National journal said that DeFazio wasn't going to run, so I am not surprised by this.

by olawakandi on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:55:58 PM EST

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

I've read up on Novick and I like him. However, before I cut him a check I want to make sure Blumenauer does not get in.

by KDJ on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:56:51 PM EST

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

Steve has said he won't run against a sitting Democratic Representative, or Bill Bradbury, so he'd step aside if Blumenauer got in.

by hubbird on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:02:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

I like him too. But two years of hook puns is gonna be trying.

Sam L

by Sam L on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:24:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

Yeah, I think he'll need to move on to height puns pretty soon.

Let's see . . .

"Steve Novick won't sell Oregon short"

"Steve Novick: Standing Tall for Oregon"

I can already tell this campaign is going to be fun.

by hubbird on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:07:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

no, that'll never get old.

mydd straw poll vote: 1. other (gore) 2. unsure 3. dodd 4. edwards 5. obama

by colorless green ideas on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:17:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

Ok, one more hook pun:

Steve Novick won't have too much trouble overcoming his name recognition obstacles because he'll get more than his share of earned media coverage -- any story about him writes it's own hook...

by hubbird on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:27:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

I would support Blumenauer. DeFazio tried to run last time and he failed, I think he wants a sure bet to win the seat. Or he isn't running.

by olawakandi on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:07:16 PM EST

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

IIRC, DeFazio hasn't run for the senate since 1996, when Wyden beat him in the primary. This time it's unlikely he would've faced a serious primary opponent, and he was already leading Smith in the only poll.

"And so in the place of the palace of privilege, we seek to build a temple out of faith and hope and charity."-FDR

by jallen on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:11:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

I think he just doesn't want to worry about it. He would make a great Senator, but I can see not wanting to make the sacrifice it would take. Pete takes his duties to represent his constituents very seriously, and makes a point to be available and a presence in the community. If he represented the whole state, he wouldn't be able to do that the same way.

by hubbird on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:08:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

Thanks for the bump, Chris!

by hubbird on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:57:31 PM EST

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (3.00 / 3)

Some of this smells eerily like a self-fulfilling prophecy here. Steve needs to get some more traction but he won't get it unless and until people stop whimpering about getting a name brand D into the race.

I live in OR-3 and I love having Earl Blumenauer as my Congressman, but I don't know how well he plays statewide and his greater name recognition could even hurt him with rural voters who have already made up their minds that he's just another Portland liberal. Novick has the potential to introduce himself statewide to voters who don't know who he is or what he's about, in terms of the issues that are important to them, and get past the label.

That's what I'm hoping for, anyway.

I agree that the hook jokes (unless he has a lot of them in the can that we haven't heard yet) are going to begin wearing on people like us, but they will mostly be new to the voters he's trying to reach, since they don't pay obsessive geeky attention to this stuff the way we do. So I think he'll be fine.

And yeah, full disclosure: I've already given him a couple hundred bucks, and I plan to give more.

So should you.

by Portlandia on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:24:26 PM EST

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

DeFazio ran during the 1996 Special Election to replace Bob Packwood.

However he passed the 1996 Open Senate Election race to suceed Mark Hatfield.- Gordon Smith narrowly defeated the Democratic Nominee Tom Bruggere- (A wealthy Millinoare).

DeFazio's best chance or running for the US Senate would have been in 1996- when the seat was open.

In 2002- defeating Smith was difficult. Only Democrat that could have unseated Smith was Governor Kitzhaber.

In 2008- It will be strong Democratic year- Presidential Year. Bluemanuer- who gets at least 70% of popular vote in his previous Congressional Races in a district that is 65% Democratic.

by CMBurns on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:55:50 PM EST

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

Darn...I donated $25 to the draft Defazio effort. That'll teach me to sit on the fence a little longer...

by johnalive on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 06:55:12 PM EST

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

Don't even say that. I think one of the things we should all remember is that the Draft DeFazio raised more money on ActBlue in a week than the Draft Gore or Draft Clark campaigns have. We also raised more than any declared challenger for Senate. That's pretty good, even if some of them weren't really using the ActBlue platform as their primary fundraising apparatus.

by hubbird on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 07:10:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

Whether he uses that money for his re-election campaign or gives it back to the party or the nominee fund, it will not be wasted.

by hubbird on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 07:11:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: OR-Sen: DeFazio out, Steve Novick in (none / 0)

Well I'm still feeling good about signing up to give $25 to Tom Allen in Maine once a month every month for the next 4 months. Good luck to Novick, and I'll be watching to see if he seems like a real contender.

by johnalive on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 10:02:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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