Polls You May Have Missed

Oregon senator Ron Wyden may have some competition.

The first Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 telephone survey of likely voters in Oregon finds incumbent Democratic Senator Ron Wyden with a 49% to 35% lead over law professor Jim Huffman, the most prominent Republican reportedly considering running against him....

... Huffman, a political newcomer, is an unknown quantity to 43% of the voters in Oregon, while just nine percent (9%) don't know enough about Wyden to have an opinion of him. This suggests Huffman may be getting some support just because he isn't the Democrat.

In the governor's race the Democrats are putting up some has-beens.

Given Oregon's Democratic tendencies, it's perhaps no surprise that Kitzhaber and Bradbury win in every race at this early stage but in several cases just barely. Former state Senator John Lim and businessman Chris Dudley, an ex-professional basketball player, are the strongest of the Republicans so far....

Kitzhaber is in a virtual tie with Lim, leading 40% to 38%. Bradbury leads Lim by a similarly narrow 38% to 35% margin. Lim lost a 1998 Senate race to Democrat Ron Wyden, who may face a tighter reelection contest this year than he expected.

Dudley trails Kitzhaber by six points, 42% to 36%. Bradbury leads Dudley by a slim 39% to 36%.