OR-SEN: Monica Wehby joins the GOP primary field

Kari Chisholm

Yesterday, Dr. Monica Wehby entered the race for U.S. Senate, adding a third well-organized campaign to the GOP primary. Previously, Jason Conger and Sam Carpenter have entered the race.

Wehby is a surgeon at Legacy Emanuel, most well-known in political circles as the chief petitioner for Measure 35 and for producing videos in which she criticized the health reform effort that led to the Affordable Care Act. (Measure 35 was a measure that would have limited the rights of injured patients to seek financial compensation.)

The Washington Post's Aaron Blake explains why some Republicans think she can win:

If Obamacare's problems persist, Republicans believe Wehby would stand to benefit more than other candidates, given her background.

At DailyKos, David Jarman notes that her campaign will surely be well-funded:

It's not clear whether she can self fund, but at any rate she probably has a lot of deep-pocketed colleagues she can reach out to.

DPO Chairman Frank Dixon had this to say, in a statement:

We don’t know much about Dr. Wehby, but we do know this: First to have her back when she announced her intent to run for the U.S. Senate was the Oregon Tea Party. The Oregon Tea Party distinguished her as the ‘conservative’ candidate compared to others who have entered the race.

Oregonians will remember that it was the reckless Tea Party agenda that was the driving force behind the recent government shutdown – a move that hurt Americans and their families, businesses, and our nation’s reputation across the globe. Given her friends in the Oregon Tea Party, we have deep concerns about Dr. Wehby and her values.

What is clear is that the primary for the Republican Party nomination is shaping up to be a messy one. The Democratic Party will be watching as the true agenda of each candidate is revealed.

Hang on to your hats, folks. We're going to have some fun watching this primary fight!

By Kari Chisholm Oct. 30, 2013