Two term ('94 and '98) governor declares his intentions to run for the position again in 2010. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j29nLr2JDP84BKXooSDJQ5dVD88AD9AFBFAO0 http://www.johnkitzhaber.com/
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I like John's progressiveness on health care reform and environmental protection, but I admit I don't know enough about his stance on business issues yet. He certainly presided over a strong local economy during his tenure in Salem, but it's hard to point to any specific policies he trumpeted that bolstered the local take on what was already a strong national economy. I really would like to see a stronger effort made to recruit corporate interests to the region. Whether that means a friendlier tax climate for businesses locally or increasing incentives for innovation, my ears and eyes are open. From the Republican perspective, only former Pixelworks executive Allen Alley has jumped into the race. He's intriguing from the sense that he's served for Democrats but brings a strong business background to the table, which I can appreciate. He might also be more inclined to take a moderate or left-moderate approach with the strong democratic majority in the state legislature. Should be an interesting race.
