Oregon Public Broadcasting

Ballots for the May primary in Oregon are in the mail. They began going out on the same day as a Portland City Club debate between Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls Bill Bradbury and John Kitzhaber.

Former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber enjoys a wide lead when it comes to fundraising.

So maybe it's a sign of his confidence that when it came time for the candidates to directly question each other, Kitzhaber lobbed a few softballs to Bill Bradbury, such as "When did you decide to enter public service?" and "What would you say are your greatest contributions to Oregon?"

Bradbury, who served nine years as Oregon Secretary of State, criticized Kitzhaber for not voting in several recent elections. Bradbury also tried to position himself as the candidate with a bolder vision.

Bill Bradbury: "Are we ready to write the next great Oregon chapter in this Oregon story, or are we going to continue to make incremental changes and just muddle through it."

On the Republican side, Allen Alley and Chris Dudley are each winning their share of endorsements, though Dudley has staked out a significant fundraising advantage.