AG: Alice Dale is out.

Alice Dale, the president of SEIU 49, had been rumored to be considering a run for Attorney General. She's now announced that she's out.

From the Statesman Journal:

Dale cited personal reasons, noting that a rigorous statewide campaign would leave too little time with her 12-year-old son.

"You have to be in all parts of the state on a regular basis," Dale said. "While I was exploring it, I went through a period of 10 days where I was home just one evening."

That leaves State Rep. Greg Macpherson and law professor John Kroger as the only candidates in the race. So far, no Republicans have jumped in.

Discuss.

(Hat tip to Beaver Boundary.)

  • (Show?)

    I do have one favor - could we be sure on items like this to list the candidates in alphabetical order? That keeps the listing of candidates fair and unbiased.

    That is what has been done with Merkley and Novick, and it would be great if the same could be done with Kroger and Macpherson.

    Thanks!

  • (Show?)

    Um, yeah, sure? What advantage exactly does one get by being first in a sentence? I'm pretty sure our readers aren't so dumb as to support the candidate whose link appears first in a list in the middle of a blog post.

  • verasoie (unverified)
    (Show?)

    But Kari, you were already doing this, just on a first-name basis (Greg, then John) because you're such an insider, right?

  • (Show?)

    It's just the standard way for writing up things - alphabetical by last name unless you're supporting a candidate, and then you'll often list them first.

  • (Show?)

    Uh.... OK. I've never heard of a rule like that anywhere -- can you point me to a source?

    Again, what difference does it make?

  • Robert G. Gourley (unverified)
    (Show?)

    It's our loss that Alice's not running, but a very important person wins!

  • Jake (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Now that the Democratic field for Attorney General appears set, will we get to hear a few debates between John Kroger and Greg Macpherson?

  • (Show?)

    For any students at the U of O, Professor Kroger will be coming by the College Democrats meeting this evening in the EMU's Ben Linder Room (bottom floor). The meeting starts at 6pm, and I encourage you all to come meet John. He's a very engaging speaker and hell of a bright guy.

  • (Show?)

    I don't know that I can point to a source. It's something that was pointed out over and over again in my years in journalism classes and my years working at newspapers. I remember seeing it in my textbooks, and was something I corrected in news stories when I was a managing editor.

    It's considered especially important when it is a listing of people who are competing for something, particularly elected office. It allows for a sense of fairness. And since this is a "in the news" item, it just seems that it should follow that rule.

    Whatever, it's your blog, not mine.

  • Grant Schott (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Alice Dale has been a leading OR labor leader for years, but she would have entered the race with little name ID against a sitting legislator and an insider favorite (at least Kroger seems to be the fav. of many activists/ lawyers). I'm not aware of labor caring a lot about AG (unless it would to beat a Mannix or Tiernan), so her likely funders might not have given much.

  • Grant Schott (unverified)
    (Show?)

    I want to amend my last post by saying that Alice would have received heavy labor support, and likely more labor money than most AG candidiates have in the past. She has been a ligh profile leader in the SEIU-OPEU strikes of 1987, 1995, as well as other big fights, and would have had a lot of insider support.

    Most PACS, including Labor seem to spend heavily for governor and state leg. races, but not as much on the other state wides (maybe more for Labor COmmish and sec. of state.) AG is one that simply seems to be largely off the radar of the media, many PACS, etc... relative to other races. In 2000, Hardy Myers only raised about $500,000 , which was the same amount that Ryan Deckert raised for a state senate race. Mannix spent $1 million, which was by far a record, but most of it was from Loren Parks and a lot of it was borrowed.

    Any candidate for a race like AG starts off with little name ID and has to hope that they can afford a small ad buy and have newspaper and other endorsements to give them credibility. Those who have any kind of name ID have a huge advantage, which explains why legislators Ed Fadely and Vern Cook won the 1988 Supreme COurt runoff priamry against two candidiates who were favored by the legal community.

  • David Nelson Ortiz (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Too bad that Alice won't be running though her reason is real. I was a member of OPEU during the "rolling strike" of 1987 when people were holding up signs reading, "Alice for governor."

  • DW (unverified)
    (Show?)

    at least Kroger seems to be the fav. of many activists/ lawyers???

    Grant, you are completely clueless. Have you looked at the C&E's lately? Macpherson has raised more than twice what Kroger has raised from both Democratic favorites and well respected lawyers. What is most deeply troubling to me is Kroger lying about Greg allegedly representing Enron. Such a lie has turned me completely off of Kroger altogether. I think Mac is going to win this one.

  • Question? (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Didn't Alice Dale FIRE Ken Allen from AFSMCE? Amongst many other valued labor workers? Glad she's out!!!!

  • Question (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Correction, she fired Ken who currently works for AFSCME. She is a petty woman who I am glad to see out of this race.

  • Amanda (unverified)
    (Show?)

    DW, what Kroger has said is that Greg's law firm represented Enron, which is totally true.

  • DW (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Amanda, how does that have anything to do with the AG's race? My understanding is that Greg has had nothing to do with Enron, but Kroger simply needs something to attack Greg on.

  • Amanda (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Not at all - it's a difference of perspective: working in public service your whole life versus working in a large law firm whose clients include the very people Kroger prosecuted. I think it says something about each candidate's priorities, so is very relevant. Many lawyers knew from the very beginning the type of lawyer they wanted to be - and I wouldn't say that Greg's type is at all bad. I like and respect many of his colleagues at the firm and in other corporate practices. But people who are drawn to public service practice are different, and I think that's the point of any talk about Stoel and Enron.

    To add one quibble: thinking it's not relevant, as you say now, is different from accusing Kroger of lying, as you did before. A lie is a serious accusation about someone's ethics, so you might use greater care with word selection if you in fact mean "not relevant."

  • LT (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Greg Macpherson has long Oregon roots and has been a legislator. Kroger is a law professor who is nationally famous as a prosecutor. He has many fans but when is he going to talk about Oregon issues like election law?

    Maybe debates would be a good idea--we could see how much knowledge he has of Oregon laws and the Oregon AG's office. One question could be to describe the various aspects of the Oregon AG's office.

  • Grant Schott (unverified)
    (Show?)

    I'm not completely clueless, just partially. No, I haven't looked at the C/Es. My point was that for someone is relatively new to OR and hasn't held office, I am surprised at the amount of support that Kroeger is receiving.

  • John English (unverified)
    (Show?)

    I agree with Grant that Alice likely would have been labor's favorite, but the question is, which unions and how active would they could they have been? SEIU clearly would have been supportive, but they are wrapped up in so many races how much support could they have justified in giving? We saw AFSCME and many other unions throw a lot of dough at Mary Botkin for state rep. for a 12% showing- clearly a waste of money. Unions usually say they want their candidiates to raise so much from individuals before the PACS kick in, but with Mary they seemed to dismiss that requirement. Keeping the state house will be a challenge and that will likely be be labor's biggest goal next year. Alice is probably connected enough that should could have raised some bucks on her own, but clearly labor would have been her potential cash cow.

    I also agree with "question" that Alice has probably fired or otherwise locked horns with enough people in labor over the years, that some might not have even considered supprting her- AFSCME for example. The remaining AFL unions might not have supported a leader form the biggest Change to Win break awy union.

  • John Forbes (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Regarding Alice's reason for not running, I have no doubt that is a good mother who is concerned about the effect of a campaign on her family. My guess is that she also weighed her options and was looking at a very tough campaign. I believe that she was Governor Kulongoski's law partner back in the day, and his enforcement of Greg along with that of Gov. Roberts, probably was a strong sign to her that she would be climbing a high mountain. Considering the fact that SEIU endorsed Hill against Ted int the '06 primary, he probably saw no incentive to consider supporting Alice. Although probably ebhind, John Krogr has already carved out a niche of support among those who want an aggressive activists AG. Alice might have had considerable labor support, and perhaps feminist support, but Greg would have been tough to beat.

  • Robert G. Gourley (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Check out this broadcast of The Brain Labor Report for Alice's choice for Attorney General.

    <hr/>
in the news 2007

connect with blueoregon