DeFazio Won't Challenge Gordon Smith In '08

Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio will not be running against Republican Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon next year, despite overtures from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to the Associated Press.

"Well, I ended up where I started," DeFazio told the AP. "When asked very early in the year would I run for Senate, my answer, then as now, was why would I do that when I have a very powerful subcommittee?"

Potential Democratic candidates include: Rep. Earl Blumenauer, former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber and state treasurer Randall Edwards. Democratic activist Steve Novick is already in the race