Politics of Oregon

Like many other U.S. states, the Politics of Oregon are centered mostly around regional concerns.Fact|date=February 2007 Oregon does not clearly lean Democratic or Republican as a state, with one Republican Senator and one Democratic Senator [ [http://www.gwu.edu/~action/states/or.htm] George Washington University] . However, four out of Oregon's five U.S. Representatives are Democrats, and the state has voted Democrat, by relatively small margins, since 1988 in Presidential elections. [ [http://www.presidentelect.org/] President Elect: The Unofficial Webpage of the Electoral College]

The state is broken up into two main geographically separate political areas: the Portland metropolitan area and Eugene, liberal centers of the state, and the rest of the state, which votes reliably conservative. While roughly three fifths (~57%) of the population of Oregon lives in the Portland area [ [http://www.pdx.edu/media/p/r/prc_2005completed.pdf|2005 Oregon Population Report] Portland State University] , the state votes proportionately more conservatively on a variety of issues, including gay marriage and state taxes. On other issues however, the state leans considerably liberal, including public health care, medical marijuana and environmental protections.

Key issues

Key issues in Oregon include:Fact|date=February 2007

*Employment
*Environmental protection
*Native American relations (particularly in respect to gambling & casinos)
*Public health care
*Public transportation
*School funding
*Taxes

Parties

*List of political parties in Oregon

References

External links

*dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Oregon/Society_and_Culture/Politics