Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) announced late Wednesday that the special election to fill former Rep. David Wu's (D) seat will be held on Jan. 31, 2012, with a primary on Nov. 8, 2011.
“I have received a letter of resignation from Congressman David Wu and am working with the Secretary of State's office on a special election process,” Kitzhaber said in a statement. “Holding both a primary and general election allows the voters of the First Congressional District full participation in selecting a replacement.”
The district has elected only Democrats to the House since 1974, so the winner of the November Democratic primary will likely go into the general election as a heavy favorite. Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian (D) and state Rep. Brad Witt (D) are running, 2010 GOP nominee Rob Cornilles (R) is getting in the race today and state Sen. Suzanne Bonamici (D) is set to run as well.
Wu wrote a handwritten resignation letter to notify the governor and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) that he was stepping down, effective at midnight Wednesday.
“Serving as a United States Congressman has been the greatest honor of my life. There is no other job where you get up every day and ask, ‘How can I try to make the world a better place today,’” Wu wrote in blue ink on official Congressional stationery.
“However great the honor and engaging the work, there comes a time to hand on the privilege of office,” he continued. “That time has come.”
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
Roll Call has launched a new feature, Hill Navigator, to advise congressional staffers and would-be staffers on how to manage workplace issues on Capitol Hill. Please send us your questions — anything from office etiquette, to handling awkward moments, to what happens when the work life gets too personal. Submissions will be treated anonymously.
