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This year, Republican John Lim emerged from a field of three candidates to win the primary with 59% of the vote. The self-made millionaire has yet to launch an aggressive campaign. Lim's fundraising thus far has been respectable, but low compared to Wyden. If Lim chooses to inject personal money into the race, however, the landscape could change.

Barring a bump in the road, Wyden should be able
cruise to victory.

Sizemore's campaign suffered a severe blow before the May primary when an investigation by The Oregonian revealed that the anti-tax activist. who pledged to handle the people's money like "real money," had a history of personal bankruptcy and failed businesses that left $795,000 in debt.

Sizemore won the primary, but he never recovered his credibility. More recently, news broke that he is under investigation by the Department of Justice because he may have broken state campaign finance laws by soliciting contributions to a tax-exempt foundation that passed the money on to a campaign for a ballot initiative backed by the organization he heads, Oregon Taxpayers United.

With his trademark jeans and cowboy boots, Kitzhaber projects a populist image, and he remains popular. He is campaigning on four main issues: education, juvenile crime, expanding health care and environment.

His commercials, reminiscent of Ross Perot, feature
Kitzhaber offering up a copy of his "plan" for Oregon that one can
get by calling a toll-free number. Neve a close ally of Clinton, Kitzhaber
has said that he would decline if the President offered to do a fundraiser
for him. However, it looks like Kitzhaber won't need the cash anyway. He
should have no problem being re-elected to a second term