Oregon: Or-1

U.S. Rep. David Wu (D-Portland) will probably not attend a congressional debate with his third party challengers on October 16, according to Wu’s spokeswoman Julia Krahe.

In absence of Wu, the debate will feature former Republican Party candidate Joel Haugen (I-Scappoose). Haugen won the Republican primary with over 70 percent of the vote, but took up the Independent Party nomination after he had a falling out with local Republican Party officials over his support for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) may have felt the need to leave the campaign trail and head back to Washington to deal with the financial crisis, but two Oregon congressman said they didn't need to put their campaigns on hold because they have already been fulfilling their legislative duties while running for re-election.

DENVER -- U.S. Rep. David Wu (D-Portland) addressed the Oregon delegation Tuesday morning and urged them to elect more Democrats to Washington D.C. so that a Democratic dominated Congress could pass legislation that had been caught between branches of government during the last eight years.

“We need Jeff Merkley so that the Senate is not the place where good legislation goes to die,” Wu said at the delegation breakfast meeting Tuesday.

First Congressional District nominee Joel Haugen (R-Scappoose) teamed up with Republicans for Obama Friday by posting his reasons for supporting Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama (D-Ill.), despite the fact that Haugen is a member of the Republican Party.