Oregon Public Broadcasting

The deadline for candidates to run in the May primary in Oregon has passed.

With the races set, Republicans are predicting big wins in the Oregon Legislature in part due to what some are predicting to be a big year for Republicans nationwide.

But as Chris Lehman reports, some GOP incumbents will have their hands full simply hanging on to their party's nomination.

Both Republicans and Democrats are fielding candidates in nearly every legislative race. But while just two Democratic incumbents face challengers in the primary, a total of seven Republicans will do so.

That includes two eastern Oregon Republicans who drew the ire of GOP leadership by supporting a pair of tax increases in the Legislature last year.

Despite the potential for losing the advantage of incumbency in several seats, House GOP leader Bruce Hanna is optimistic that Republicans will eat into the Democratsí majority in the House.

Bruce Hanna: "Well, I'm trying to probably under-promise and over-perform. But I feel pretty comfortable in saying we would likely have three to five incremental seats."

If Democrats are worried about a Republican tide this fall, they aren't showing it. House Speaker Dave Hunt, for his part, predicted his party would win at least two seats currently held by Republicans.