Partisan politics suck

First we have the truly sickening story of Paul Hackett, the Iraq war veteran and popular Democratic candidate in Ohio's closely watched Senate contest. Hackett withdrew from the race today and possible from politics altogether because leaders in the Democratic Party establishment have basically sabatoged his campaign. Just when you thought to climate of corruption among beltway Republicans made Dems look reasonably ethical by comparison, along come Senators Reid and Schumer to disabuse us of that notion.

Next, as Carla reported over at Loaded Orygun , Oregon state senator Ben Westlund today did indeed quit the GOP and announce his intention to run for Governor as an Indie.

The Bend Bulletin, a major paper within Westlund's district, offers some interesting details.

There are things about both parties that I like, but I don't fit neatly into either one of them, (Westlund) said.

Welcome to the majority, Ben. Most of us feel that way.

Westlund is an interesting character who really doesn't fit into either Dem or GOPer mould very neatly and has been a key swing vote in the 2005 legislature. Again the Bend Bulletin gives a good run down:

• He is helping advance ballot measures that would make basic health care a right, would create incentives for the alternative energy industry and would hike cigarette taxes.



• As the House budget chief in 2002, he led the effort to cut more than $1 billion from the state budget when tax revenues plummeted, but also supported tax hikes including the failed Measure 30 referral in 2004.



• He opposed same-sex marriage on the 2004 ballot, but also sponsored legislation in 2005 to legalize marriage-like civil unions for same sex couples.

He caught hell from Republicans for both the civil union legislation and for his support of tax hikes. But interestingly enough he won both the Democratic and the Republican primaries in May 2004 when he first ran for the state senate. I should think it's the rare politician now days who can claim to have been nominated by both major parties.

Running as an Indie is a two-edged sword, though. On the one hand Westlund doesn't have to run in a primary election. On the other hand he has to collect 18,000 signitures from voters who are either not affiliated with either major party or, thanks to Oregon's new tyranical elections law, from voters who agree not to vote for candidates in the May primary.

I intend to sign it.

Update: Westlund has his brand new campaign website up: Westlund for Governor