Bonamici wins Oregon special election

Suzanne Bonamici has won the Oregon special election and will take David Wu’s place in Congress.

Bonamici collected 54 percent of the vote, easily winning the majority vote over her main challenger, Rob Cornilles, who received 40 percent. She will now serve out the remainder of Wu’s term, which lasts until the Nov. 6 general election, at which point she will need to run for re-election if she wishes to remain in Congress. She earned the distinction of being Oregon’s only current female legislator.

Bonamici aligns herself with the Democratic party, which made her the favorite in the election as Democrats have been the favored major party of the state over the last 15 years. It had been all but a foregone conclusion that Bonamici would win; the only question that remained was how great her margin of victory would be.

“With a margin this big, it means that we are ready for primary season, and we are ready for the 2012 presidential election. This result has a lot of promise for Democrats in 2012,” said Alexis Davis, 21, political science major at PSU and organizing volunteer with Organizing for America-Oregon.

The television advertising for the election did not prove in Cornilles’ favor. With a larger budget, thanks to considerable donations from the National Democrats, Bonamici was able to put together a large commercial campaign that attacked Cornilles’ qualifications.

“Democrats from out of the state were donating money to make sure their party won this one, because it was such an important election,” Davis said. “It was the first election of 2012, and with Oregon’s traditional liberal direction they wanted to make sure that they started the year off right. It gives them hope for the upcoming presidential election.”

“Democrats are definitely on the right track to keep Oregon blue,” Davis said. “With this margin, it shows that the state still has a lot of Democratic support.”

Bonamici’s political campaign thus far has revolved highly around her promise of job creation, which is the hot-button issue of the state as of now. Although Oregon added over 2,000 jobs in December 2011, the state unemployment rate of 8.9 percent still lies above the national rate of 8.5 percent.

“Her main aim is to reduce debt the right way, through ending Bush tax cuts while protecting Social Security and Medicare,” Davis said.

Bonamici continued her ascent in the field of Oregon politics with the victory. She began her political career in 2006 as an Oregon House Representative, and then was elected to the state Senate in 2008. With her most recent victory, she has advanced to her highest level of political prominence yet.

“I have faith in Bonamici. She seems to be heading in the right direction, and I don’t see her stopping anytime soon,” Davis said.

their party won this one, because it was such an important election,” Davis said. “It was the first election of 2012, and with Oregon’s traditional liberal direction they wanted to make sure that they started the year off right. It gives them hope for the upcoming presidential election.”

“Democrats are definitely on the right track to keep Oregon blue,” Davis said. “With this margin, it shows that the state still has a lot of Democratic support.”

Bonamici’s political campaign thus far has revolved highly around her promise of job creation, which is the hot-button issue of the state as of now. Although Oregon added over 2,000 jobs in December 2011, the state unemployment rate of 8.9 percent still lies above the national rate of 8.5 percent.

“Her main aim is to reduce debt the right way, through ending Bush tax cuts while protecting Social Security and Medicare,” Davis said.

Bonamici continued her ascent in the field of Oregon politics with the victory. She began her political career in 2006 as an Oregon House Representative, and then was elected to the state Senate in 2008. With her most recent victory, she has advanced to her highest level of political prominence yet.

“I have faith in Bonamici. She seems to be heading in the right direction, and I don’t see her stopping anytime soon,” Davis said.

their party won this one, because it was such an important election,” Davis said. “It was the first election of 2012, and with Oregon’s traditional liberal direction they wanted to make sure that they started the year off right. It gives them hope for the upcoming presidential election.”

“Democrats are definitely on the right track to keep Oregon blue,” Davis said. “With this margin, it shows that the state still has a lot of Democratic support.”

Bonamici’s political campaign thus far has revolved highly around her promise of job creation, which is the hot-button issue of the state as of now. Although Oregon added over 2,000 jobs in December 2011, the state unemployment rate of 8.9 percent still lies above the national rate of 8.5 percent.

“Her main aim is to reduce debt the right way, through ending Bush tax cuts while protecting Social Security and Medicare,” Davis said.

Bonamici continued her ascent in the field of Oregon politics with the victory. She began her political career in 2006 as an Oregon House Representative, and then was elected to the State Senate in 2008. With her most recent victory, she has advanced to her highest level of political prominence yet.

“I have faith in Bonamici. She seems to be heading in the right direction, and I don’t see her stopping anytime soon,” Davis said.