Just last week John Kitzhaber "expressed concern about the tenor" of negative ads targeting Chris Dudley from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) and had them pulled.  But then just yesterday, the Kitzhaber campaign began airing a nearly identical personal attack ad.

In addition to avoiding the truth about Kitzhaber’s economic record, the attack ad falsely accuses Chris Dudley of having “never shown much interest in Oregon because he lived in Washington to avoid Oregon taxes.”  Chris Dudley paid nearly half a million in Oregon income taxes while playing for the Blazers between 1993 and 1997 and gave over $1 million to charities during that time.   Read the facts here.

Columnists, editorial writers and political analysts across the state are already weighing in. Elizabeth Hovde wrote that “The Kitzhaber camp misfires,” calling the ad “needlessly negative” and that it “has to backfire” in The Oregonian. An editorial in the Bend Bulletin called Kitzhaber’s tax claim “nonsense.”  Political science professor Jim Moore, from Pacific University, said the ad was “out of the character [Kitzhaber] has established."(Jeff Mapes, "Kitzhaber sheds gloves with attack on Dudley," The Oregonian, 09/02/10)

The campaign responded again today with a web video highlighting Kitzhaber’s decision to reverse his stance on negative campaigning.  The video includes footage from the KGW/The Oregonian Democratic primary debate, where Kitzhaber said “I’m not willing to win if the price means simply attacking my opponent and ducking hard questions and avoiding the truth.  Oregonians deserve better than that.”  John Kitzhaber has clearly lost his way.  Please take a minute to watch the "Lost His Way" web video below!

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www.ChrisDudley.com