07/03/2009

Associated Press

Senate President Peter Courtney has ruled out a run for governor.

The Salem Democrat told the Statesman Journal newspaper his thousands of votes and perhaps that many off-the-cuff statements during a quarter-century in the Legislature would make it tough for him to win a statewide contest.

"Have you looked at my voting record?" he asked. "Have you checked some of the statements I made?"

Two governors in the past 30 years were legislative leaders first — one of them, John Kitzhaber, is considering a comeback in 2010.

Current Gov. Ted Kulongoski is barred from running next year because he has served two consecutive four-year terms. Many names have been floated as potential replacements, but almost no one has declared their candidacy.

Most of the contenders have been coy about their prospects. Courtney, however, announced his lack of a candidacy in a predictably blunt way.

"This is the worst case in the world of how to position yourself, orchestrate yourself, or carefully state things before you get ready to run for statewide office," he said. "More people have talked about this than I've talked about it."

Courtney made his comments days after wrapping up a six-month legislative session he described as "harder than hard" because of the severe recession.

Besides Kitzhaber, the most prominent Democrats mentioned in the gubernatorial guessing game are former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, who has held the 4th District seat in southwest Oregon for 24 years.

Allen Alley, who lost the 2008 race for state treasurer, has announced his candidacy on the Republican side. State Sen. Jason Atkinson is also likely to run. He sought the job in 2006, but lost in the Republican primary.

___

Information from: Statesman Journal, http://www.statesmanjournal.com