Former Oregon governor ponders running for old job
by Jeff Mapes, The Oregonian
Wednesday May 27, 2009, 9:21 PM
Olivia Bucks/The OregonianFormer Gov. John Kitzhaber mingles with visitors at the unveiling of his portrait Wednesday at the Oregon Capitol in Salem. Portland artist Henk Pander painted Kitzhaber, a longtime emergency room physician and outdoors enthusiast, with his medical kit at his feet and the Rogue River in the background.SALEM -- The once and future governor?
Former Gov. John Kitzhaber's official portrait was unveiled Wednesday evening in the Capitol, but the denim-clad Democrat may not be ready to fade into history books.
Kitzhaber confirmed in an interview after the unveiling that he is seriously considering a run for governor next year, and some political insiders predict the famously enigmatic politician will indeed jump into what is now a wide-open race.
The former governor told reporters after the unveiling that he is "thinking through the possibility of what it would look like" to return to the Capitol. He said he may talk about his political future Friday, when he speaks at a City Club of Portland luncheon.
The new portrait by Portland artist Henk Pander portrays Kitzhaber in a relaxed pose with his medical kit at his feet -- he was an emergency room physician -- and the Rogue River in the background.
Pander also painted a famous portrait of former Gov. Tom McCall, the last person who tried to return to the Oregon governorship after serving two terms. McCall sat out a term, as required by the state constitution, and tried to make a comeback in 1978, only to be defeated in the Republican primary.
Kitzhaber, 62, has been quietly meeting with several key political figures to talk about a possible comeback. Some questioned his intentions after he had weighed -- then rejected -- a run for the U.S. Senate and a run for governor against fellow Democrat Ted Kulongoski in 2006.
"I think that John's state of mind is much better than it was eight years ago," says Portland consultant Steve Novick, who Kitzhaber endorsed in his unsuccessful race for the U.S. Senate last year.
"He seems more relaxed, more friendly, more playful -- and in politics, that matters," adds Novick, who has toyed with the idea of running for governor himself. But he won't get in the race if Kitzhaber runs.
Several of Kitzhaber's former aides say he is interested in another shot at the governorship at least in part because the Legislature is now firmly in Democratic hands. In contrast, Republicans controlled both houses during his governorship from 1995 to 2003, thwarting many of his proposals.
Kitzhaber vetoed a record number of bills -- earning the sobriquet "Dr. No" from Republicans -- and pronounced Oregon as "ungovernable" toward the end of his tenure.
Some of his former aides describe it as kind of a "do-over" for Kitzhaber that would give him a better chance to show what he could do as governor. Kitzhaber, who divorced after leaving the governorship, has spent much of his time in recent years with his 12-year-old son, Logan. Friends say that he has wanted to make sure that a return to politics would not disrupt his relationship with his son.
Kitzhaber has also told associates about his interest in working with the Obama administration on health care reform. If the president and Congress pass a health care package, the states could wind up playing a key role in implementing it.
And the 2010 gubernatorial race has no obvious front-runner. An April 7-8 survey by Portland pollster Bob Moore showed that Kitzhaber remains a popular figure.
Among all voters, 49 percent ranked him favorably compared to 21 percent who had an unfavorable view. Among Democrats, his favorable rating shot up to 63 percent.
Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain says that Kitzhaber "would be tough to beat" unless Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., enters the race. DeFazio has said he will decide later this year whether to run, but political insiders predict the Springfield congressman is more likely to stay put.
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