The Portland Oregonian said it best, reporting that Bonamici has “no record of job creation” and “has racked up one of the most liberal voting records of any lawmaker in Salem during her five years in the Legislature.”
She was the only lawmaker present to vote against a bill that cracked down on drunken drivers who refused to take a blood or breath test, preventing them from quickly regaining their driving privileges. In 2008, she was one of only a handful of lawmakers to vote against a bill barring illegal immigrants from getting drivers’ licenses.
But what has really made national Democrats sweat in a district that would otherwise be considered non-competitive is a strong Republican candidate in Rob Cornilles. The owner of a sports management company, he has run a strong campaign with significantly less resources than Bonamici.
Cornilles’ candidacy has forced Democrats to open their wallets – big time. The Democratic National Congressional Committee has reserved nearly $1.3 million in ad time. And a PAC associated with Nancy Pelosi has poured another $200,000 into the race, attacking Cornilles. Emily’s List is also investing heavily.
Yet Cornilles has managed to close that gap against this flawed candidate. A recent poll released by his campaign showed him just 4 points behind Bonamici in a district that should be blue-deep. Cornilles, however, has forced Democrats to bleed valuable cash from their campaign coffers as they head into the 2012 cycle.
Check out Cornilles’ Web site, and connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.