Voters facing 75 legislative races in state.

Byline: DAVID STEVES The Register-Guard

With term limits gone and five special sessions under legislators' belts, voters this November could wind up electing one of the most experienced Legislatures in years.

But one of the big questions for candidates and their handlers is whether all that experience in this year's series of brutal, partisan sessions over taxes and spending will be what the voters want.

"Nobody knows what the effect of five special sessions is," said Senate Majority Leader Dave Nelson of Pendleton, who is leading the Senate Republicans' campaigns. "These are uncharted waters and that's the way we're approaching it."

Nelson's Democratic counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Kate Brown of Portland, said the special sessions - especially votes to refer tax increases to the ballot and to whittle away at tax breaks - are sure to be used as campaign fodder.

For some, it means fending of charges of trying to raise taxes instead of going after government bloat. For others, votes for more tax money can be held up as a sign that lawmakers were willing to make tough decisions to fend off deeper cuts to education and safety-net social services.

But Brown said her confidence that Democrats will regain the majority isn't rooted in special-session politics; it's because of the on-the-ground campaigning that's been going on miles away from the Capitol in Salem.

"Here's why we're going to win. Our candidates fit their districts," Brown said. "That's the bottom line."

With all 60 House seats and 15 of Oregon's 30 Senate offices on the ballot, both major parties are hopeful they will come out of Nov. 5 with majorities.

Republicans are seeking to extend their control of the Legislature to a full decade - something they could do by winning at least 31 House and 16 Senate seats.

The GOP currently holds 32 seats in the House and 16 in the Senate.

Extending their majority status in this year's election would assure their control of the Legislature until the 2005 session - marking a full decade since 1995, when the Senate joined the House as a Republican-controlled chamber.

But the Democrats running for the Legislature - only two of whom have been around long enough to have served in the majority - foresee a strong shot at taking back majorities in one or both houses.

Last year's decision by the Oregon Supreme Court to toss out the term-limits law voters approved in 1992 - and the failure of a new version of the law to qualify as an initiative for this year's election - means several candidates once deemed ineligible to run again are now able to do just that.

They include five of the 15 Senate candidates, former state Rep. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, and four other House candidates.

Although a total of 75 legislative offices are on the ballot, strategists for both parties agree that only a fraction of them are in play.

In the House, both Democratic and Republican campaign directors agree that 11 districts will be battleground races.

Democratic and Republican strategists coordinating the Senate campaigns agree on six races that will be targeted by both sides in the fight for control.

But Republicans say Lane County's Senate District 7 will be in play, as well - something Democrats say is doubtful, given that twice-elected Rep. Vicki Walker, D-Eugene, enjoys strong name familiarity, a voter registration advantage and a reputation as a tenacious campaigner. Her GOP opponent, Mike Cary, is a former executive at two Lane County RV manufacturers who Republicans say should do well because of his business background and ability to fund a strong campaign.

As a general rule, rural districts are being counted as safe seats for the Republicans, while most of the urban districts in Eugene and Portland are being ruled as virtual sure-bets for the Democrats.

That means the battle for control will be fought largely in the suburban districts of the Willamette Valley and the Portland metropolitan area.

Incumbents seeking re-election to their old seats are considered fairly safe bets, with only three House members and two senators running in battleground districts.

Portland political analyst Jim Moore said despite the public's general dissatisfaction with how the special sessions and budget deficits were handled by lawmakers, it's doubtful that many will be punished by voters.

"This doesn't feel like a revolutionary election like the '94 election," he said. "There's a kind of malaise, but not a `throw the bums out' mentality."

The few incumbents who are going to have to work hard to convince voters to send them back to Salem, according to Democratic and Republican campaign directors, are:

Rep. Alan Brown, R-Newport, who is being challenged by Newport Democrat Marcia Thompson, who volunteers in the community and helps run a commercial

fishing business with husband and former legislator Terry Thompson.

Rep. Cliff Zauner, R-Woodburn, who faces Democrat and school administrator Betty Komp of Woodburn.

Rep. Jan. Lee, D-Clackamas, who was elected two years ago as a Republican before changing parties. She faces businesswoman and Republican Linda Flores.

Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches, who is running against former state Rep. Bob Montgomery, R-Cascade Locks.

Sen. Peter Courtney, D-Salem, whose Republican opponent is longtime Marion County Commissioner Randy Franke.

In nearly every one of those cases, the once-a-decade redrawing of district boundaries played a role in making re-election something of a challenge. In some cases, such as Brown's and Zauner's newly shaped districts, it meant a less advantageous mix of Democratic and Republican voting areas.

For others, it's simply a matter of new constituents who are less likely to automatically back the incumbent - since it's not someone they've backed before.

TOSS-UP RACES

Strategists say control of the 60-member House will boil down to the outcome of 11 toss-up races. In the 30-seat Senate, six to seven races are the key to which party holds the majority. Area races that could come into play:

House District 14: Eugene City Councilor Pat Farr (R) vs. schools activist Araminta Hawkins (D)

House District 10: Newport Rep. Alan Brown (R) vs. Newport schools and community volunteer Marcia Thompson (D)

Senate District 7: Eugene Rep. Vicki Walker (D) vs. former motor home company executive Mike Cary of Eugene (R)

LOCAL LEGISLATIVE RACES

Senate District 4 - Republican David Alsup, Drain; Democrat Tony Corcoran, Cottage Grove

Senate District 6 - Democrat Bill Morrisette, Springfield; no Republican

Senate District 7: Republican Mike Cary, Eugene; Democrat Vicki Walker, Eugene

House District 7 - Republican Jeff Kruse, Sutherlin; Democrat Donald Nordin, Cottage Grove

House District 8 - Republican Greg McNeill, Eugene; Democrat Floyd Prozanski, Eugene

House District 9 - Democrat Joanne Verger, Coos Bay; Libertarian Valorie K. Holloway, Coos Bay

House District 10 - Republican Alan Brown, Newport; Democrat Marcia Thompson, Newport.

House District 11: Republican Robert Bolanos, Creswell; Democrat Phil Barnhart, Eugene

House District 12 - Republican Norm Fox, Springfield; Democrat Elizabeth Terry Beyer, Springfield

House District 13 - Democrat Robert Ackerman, Eugene; Libertarian Jay Bozievich, Eugene

House District 14 - Republican Pat Farr, Eugene; Democrat Araminta Hawkins, Eugene

CAPTION(S):

INSIDE Senate District 4 has a clear choice of candidates / 1B TUESDAY Senate District 7 sees a toss-up race between Rep. Vicki Walker and businessman Mike Cary