Reports that seven Republican legislators, including the House leadership team, visited a topless bar during a vacation to southern California in January come at an awkward time for Oregon Republicans, who are trying to take control of the House in November.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden took quite a bit of heat from his fellow Democrats when he teamed with a Republican congressman to propose a significant redesign of Medicare. Under fire for a bipartisan health care proposal, Wyden is on familiar ground.

As Oregon's governor prepares to leave office Monday, after eight years, the AP looks back on lofty aspirations that fell victim to bad economies and a sex-abuse scandal.

Republican Chris Dudley conceded the race for governor to Democrat John Kitzhaber Wednesday in an evening news conference.

Democrat John Kitzhaber was whittling down a slim lead by Republican Chris Dudley as the last ballots were being counted statewide in the race for governor.

Whoever wins will face a tough task the morning after the victory celebration - how to make wrenching changes in Oregon's state government and schools.

In an online primary conducted by Oregon's Independent Party last month, party members chose "None of the above" instead of making a general election nomination in 13 state House races, one state Senate race and a congressional race.

Big push for Oregon voter turn out on tax measures.

Former Gov. John Kitzhaber has an early fundraising lead over rival Democrat Bill Bradbury in the 2010 Oregon governor's race and is slightly ahead of Republican contender Chris Dudley, the former Portland Trail Blazers player who is the GOP's top moneyraiser.

Former Hewlett-Packard executive Steve Shields, a political newcomer who grew up in Marcola, Ore., plans to formally announce his candidacy for governor Thursday in a race that would pit him against two of Oregon's best-known Democrats.

While U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio and former Gov. John Kitzhaber have not yet said whether they will run in the 2010 Oregon governor's race, two lesser-known politicians are trying to get a head start.

Serving on three key committees, the Stanford- and Princeton-educated Jeff Merkley has become deeply immersed in crucial and heady issues. Those include health care reform, global warming and finding solutions to the nation's financial crisis.