A WEEKLY ELECTION WATCH: PEOPLE IN POLITICS Will Monica's dirty laundry be aired in Oregon? Is Molly afraid of kids? And where is Lisa going? BY BOB YOUNG byoung@wweek.com

Quote of the week: "Eyesight dim, vision clear"-- button worn by Milwaukie state Senate candidate Monroe Sweetland, 88, who says he can no longer drive or read because of his failing eyesight.

It looks as if a little Monicagate will spill into Oregon's 1st Congressional District race between Molly Bordonaro and David Wu--a contest that's key to the Republicans' hope of maintaining their 11-seat majority in the House of Representatives. The Republican National Committee announced last week that it would run a $37 million ad campaign stressing "honesty and integrity" in key congressional races this fall. The campaign's aim is to stain some Democratic candidates with President Clinton's ethical problems. The campaign could get spicier if cyberjournalist Matt Drudge, who broke the Monica Lewinsky story, is correct in his reports that Lewinsky masturbated with one of Clinton's cigars while Yasser Arafat was waiting for the president in the White House Rose Garden. In unveiling their campaign, GOP officials cite recent polls showing honesty and ethics are becoming a top issue with voters. Bordonaro's campaign manager, John Easton, says he hasn't heard anything but wouldn't be surprised if the ads ran in Portland. Indeed, the metro market offers Republicans a hat trick: With one ad they can smear three Democrats--Wu, Darlene Hooley and (in Vancouver) Brian Baird. Clinton isn't the only Democrat helping Bordonaro; Beaverton School Board chairman Bob Shook is endorsing the Republican candidate this week. "She's more conservative than I'd like on some issues, but I like her education platform's focus on local control," says Shook. While the RNC takes indirect shots at Wu, Bordonaro is avoiding him like Democratic candidates are avoiding Clinton--even when it means that Bordonaro, 29, is turning her back on X-PAC, Portland's premier group for young political activists. X-PAC wanted to host an Oct. 5 debate between Wu and Bordonaro, in part, says X-PAC treasurer Ken Ray, because it might boost turnout among young voters. Wu agreed but Bordonaro balked, insisting that the three scheduled debates--in Astoria and Portland and on Oregon Public Broadcasting--were enough. "Young people are an important part of Molly's campaign, but a debate doesn't necessarily reflect their importance," says Easton. Wu spokesman Mark Kornblau says Bordonaro's snub smacks of hypocrisy. "Molly is fond of saying she's fighting for the next generation, her generation," says Kornblau. "This is an opportunity to speak to activists of that generation, and she has denied it." Players on the move: Oregon's leading abortion-rights activist, Lisa Horowitz, is going national. After leading the Oregon chapter of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League for four years, Horowitz this week started a new job as nationwide director of constituency development for NARAL. She'll be replaced at Oregon NARAL by former Metro councilor Sandy Hansen. Over at OSPIRG, environmental and campaign-finance advocate Randy Tucker is leaving to work at 1000 Friends of Oregon. Finally, Lewis Marcus, a North Portland neighborhood activist and failed Democratic candidate for House District 17, has surfaced as spokesman for a campaign opposing the $475 million south-north light-rail bond measure on the November ballot.   originally published September 9, 1998