Democrats are hoping that an increase in spending leading up to Tuesday’s special election in Oregon will help them keep the seat left open by the retired U.S. Rep. David Wu, an Oregon Democrat who left his post in Congress in 2011.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has spent $1.3 million in advertising to help former state Sen. Suzanne Bonamici, an Oregon Democrat, The Associated Press reports.
Ms. Bonamici is competing against the Republican candidate Rob Cornilles, an Oregon based sports business consultant.
Mr. Wu retired in July of 2011 after mounting pressure from House Democrats amid allegations from a former female staffer who worked in his Portland office, that accused him of making an unwanted sexual advance at her last spring.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat requested the House Ethics Committee to investigate the sex scandal involving Mr. Wu prior to his resignation.
In an ad posted to his campaign website, Mr. Cornilles has accused Ms. Bonamici of “covering up for David Wu,” trying to link the sex scandal involving the retired lawmaker to her campaign.
In response the former state senator has accused the Republican candidate of lying about the jobs his business has created and missing some tax payments. Ms. Bonamici is saying that the election is about the future and not Mr. Wu.
In 2011, a similar situation occurred in New York in the heavily Democratic district of former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, who resigned after he sent a sexually provocative picture via Twitter to a woman in Washington D.C.
Mr. Weiner was replaced in a special election by the Republican candidate, New York businessman Bob Turner.
The National Republican Congressional Committee has spent $85,000 in support of Mr. Cornilles bid for the open seat left by Mr. Wu. In 2010, Mr. Wu defeated Mr. Cornilles to win his seventh term in Congress.
Voting in Oregon for the special election is being done entirely by mail in ballots. According to The Associated Press, the lack of reliable polling sources leaves the race wide open between the two candidates.
