13 will battle for each party’s nod in gov. race

Web producer's note: Melica Johnson's video packages on both parties can be found at the bottom of this story.

SALEM, Ore. - The filing deadline came and went Tuesday in the race for Oregon’s top political office. So who’s running for each party’s nomination?

In the Republican camp, there are nine who are filed with the secretary of state’s office, but three are being singled out by political insiders as being most likely to have a shot at winning their primary.

There’s Allen Alley, a former businessman and candidate for state treasurer; Chris Dudley, a former Portland Trail Blazer, and John Lim a former state lawmaker.

The spokesman for the Oregon Republican Party said he believes one of them will be Oregon’s next governor.

“It’s a good year,” said Greg Leo of the Oregon Republican Party. “It’s a historic opportunity, I think, because the party in power has a very bad economy and frankly a track record that most people are concerned about.”

Alley was favored by Republicans in last Sunday’s straw poll at their annual Dorchester conference, but political analyst Len Bergstein said he believes Alley has some drawbacks.

“I don’t think he’s defined himself very well yet,” Bergstein said.

He said the co-founder of Pixelworks, a semiconductor company, may have a hard time connecting with voters.

He’s “kind of a cold type of candidate. He’s more cerebral and seems to be more issue-oriented in the way he’s presenting himself.”

Dudley is new to the arena of politics and Bergstein said if nothing else, Dudley’s 6-foot-10-inch height is impressive just by itself. But the former NBA basketball player is also a Yale graduate.

“I think he’s got that surprise factor,” Bergstein said. “If someone thinks they’re visiting with a jock, they’re in for a surprise.”

Out of the three candidates, former state Rep. Lim has a political record, which includes working to try and get the Willamette meteorite returned to Oregon from a New York City museum.

“He’s got kind of the worst of both worlds,” Bergstein said. “He has a public record but no real demonstrated track record of success.”

In the other camp, the Democrats have two very well-known candidates out of four vying to win their primary.

Both John Kitzhaber and Bill Bradbury have long histories in Oregon politics. Kitzhaber has already served as governor for two terms and Bradbury was the state’s secretary of state.

Bergstein said these two Democrats will engage in a toe-to-toe battle for the Democratic nomination for governor.

“Bradbury is a hotter, more emotional kind of guy,” Bergstein said.

He said that Kitzhaber is legendary for his ability to frame and dissect problems.

“I’ve seen him light up rooms with his intellectual capability. I’ve seen Bradbury light up rooms with his emotional appeal to people, kind of on a gut level,” Bergstein said.

Both candidates have received labor endorsements and both have the ability to raise lots of money. But both political heavyweights may have the same problem, according to Bergstein.

“If you look like the incumbent in 2010, you may in fact be really on the defensive,” he said.

It’s a reference to voters who are angry at incumbents in Washington, D.C. who they view as failing to get anything done.

Bergstein said Kitzhaber and Bradbury will have to avoid coming across as politicians to blame.

“So that they’re not seen as the incumbents and the piñata voters are looking to beat up on in this election,” he said.

Meredith Wood Smith, the chair of the Oregon Democratic Party, said voters won’t take out their anger on Kitzhaber and Bradbury.

“I don’t think that there is a disenchantment of the Democratic Party in leading,” she said. “I think that the problem is with the Republican Party continuing to be the party of ‘No’.”

According to Bergstein, Kitzhaber also has to worry about appearing as if he’s entitled to the governor’s office since he held the job before.

The primary is May 18.

Click here for a complete list of who’s running.

 A look at who's running in the Republican primary:

A look at who's running in the Democratic primary: