Congressional candidate Joel Haugen (I-Scappoose) was featured in an article done by the British paper The Guardian on Republicans who have thrown their support behind Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"I believe in putting nation before party, and my first priority is following my conscience with regard to what is best for America," Haugen told The Guardian. "I have a huge amount of respect for John McCain, but I believe that he has more of a cold war mentality."

Haugen was listed alongside former Bush administration press secretary, Scott McClellan, former Secretary of State Colin Powel, and former Reagan advisor Ken Adelman as Republicans who will be voting Democratic in the presidential race.

Haugen was originally the Republican nominee in the 1st Congressional District. He won the May primary with close to 70 percent of the vote, but after he had a falling out with local Republican officials over his endorsement of Obama, he accepted the endorsement of the Independent Party. There is now no Republican candidate running for congress in OR-1.