Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregonian Tucker Bounds is bringing his political skills back to his home state. April Baer reports Bounds has taken a job with a political consulting firm.

According to several sources, Bounds has accepted a position with Doug Badger, another Oregonian who's worked for different Republican officeholders and causes.  Badger worked on the Bush re-election campaign in 2004.

Bounds may want to keep a foot on either coast. His fiancee is an attorney practicing at a D.C. firm -- incidentally the same one that now employs former Senator Gordon Smith.

Bounds became a household name during the Presidential race last year when John McCain tapped him as a spokesman. He did a lot of heavy lifting for McCain, rotating through cable talk shows.

Bounds is a native of Hermiston. He graduated from the University of Oregon. He served earlier as a media aide for President Bush's Oregon operations, and did some work for Congressman Greg Walden, and former Senator Smith.