politics

Presidential Campaigns Target Oregon Ahead Of Primary

By Jeff Mapes (OPB)
April 7, 2016 4:30 a.m.
Campaign supporters gather Wednesday, April 6, 2016, for presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders at the opening of his fourth office in Oregon. A mural at the office references a recent campaign visit in Oregon, where a bird spontaneously landed on the podium as Sanders spoke.

Campaign supporters gather Wednesday, April 6, 2016, for presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders at the opening of his fourth office in Oregon. A mural at the office references a recent campaign visit in Oregon, where a bird spontaneously landed on the podium as Sanders spoke.

Jeff Mapes / OPB

Presidential campaigns are turning their sights on Oregon ahead of the state's primary next month.

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Bernie Sanders’ growing campaign network opened another office Wednesday. Sanders now has four campaign offices here and hundreds of volunteers.

State Director Monte Jarvis fired up a crowd at the opening of the Northeast Portland office by making it clear the campaign has high expectations.

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“We are the political revolution. We are going to take Oregon," Jarvis said. "We are going to win Oregon on May 17.”

Oregon has a lot of college-educated young people, and they’ve been among Sanders’ most passionate followers.

But Sanders could also benefit from the state's largely white electorate. Sanders has won 11 of 13 contests in states where minorities make up less than 20 percent of the Democratic electorate.

Hillary Clinton is also organizing in the state. She has a new state director and several staffers on the ground.

On the Republican side, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is assembling a network of grassroots leaders.

So far, however, the campaigns of Donald Trump and John Kasich don’t seem to be as active in Oregon.

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