Almost sixteen months ago, when my friend Steve Novick first broached the idea of taking on Senator Gordon Smith, he asked me if I would help him.
It wasn't as if we were really close friends then. We weren't. I would say we were casual friends. But I had seen something in Steve that I responded to. Perhaps it was his remarkable intelligence and sense of humor. Perhaps it was his ease in his own skin, despite significant physical disabilities. Maybe it was just that I knew he was reliably progressive, very hardworking, and a veritable pithy quote machine. In any case, I felt instinctively that no matter who else might decide to get into the race, I just loved the very idea of Steve Novick being my next US Senator, and I was willing to work hard to achieve that goal. I especially enjoyed imagining the net karmic transfer that would result from swapping Steve in for Gordon Smith. And I felt that despite the fact that Smith had survived two re-election campaigns against well-meaning but inept Democratic challengers, Steve would be different.
Turns out I was right. More below.
Despite a bruising primary campaign against an Establishment candidate supported by the DSCC and three other candidates, Steve stands poised to win the Democratic primary on May 20. He has run a smart, engaging, dynamic campaign with brilliant advertising (see here and here) and promotion, and most importantly he has remained true to his progressive principles.
On Tuesday Steve debated his two principal primary opponents on KGW, the local NBC affiliate. His closing statement summarized in less than 90 seconds why I'm supporting him, and why I think he is going to win.
Ladies and gentlemen, the next US Senator from the great State of Oregon, Steve Novick.