Businessmen Win Oregon Senate Primaries
PORTLAND, Ore. — A retired high-tech entrepreneur will face a frozen-food tycoon in this fall’s Oregon Senate race to succeed Republican Sen. Mark O. Hatfield.
Tom Bruggere, Mentor Graphics Corp. founder and former CEO, defeated veteran campaigner Harry Lonsdale in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, while Gordon Smith, who’s making his second U.S. Senate bid this year, crushed anti-gay-rights activist Lon Mabon in the Republican primary.
Smith, owner of a frozen food company, lost a special election earlier this year to Democrat Ron Wyden in an acrimonious race to replace Republican Sen. Bob Packwood, who resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
This time, Smith has invited Bruggere to have lunch with him to discuss ways to keep the fall campaign free of negative attacks.
“I want us to get beyond this assassination of character. That has to end,” he said.
Bruggere didn’t immediately accept Smith’s lunch offer. “I’m not optimistic that there is sincerity behind that,” he said.
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