C M C M Y K Y K ’BAMA BLOWOUT But, can parties work together? See story, A6 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7,2012 theworldlink.com I 75¢ Leading the way CADDY MCKEOWN JOHN SWEET MELISSA CRIBBINS PETER DEFAZIO ARNIE ROBLAN State Representative, District 9 Commissioner Position 2 Commissioner Position 3 U.S. Representative, District 4 State Senator, District 5 CADDY MCKEOWN — 14,207 JOHN SWEET — 13,316 MELISSA CRIBBINS — 12,761 PETER DEFAZIO — 200,343 ARNIE ROBLAN — 28,429 NANCY BROUHARD — 11,090 TIM BISHOP — 9,844 DON GURNEY — 10,629 ART ROBINSON — 134,527 SCOTT ROBERTS — 22,892 Commissioner race too close to call General election DeFazio surges past Robinson Dems hold state seats 2012 Oregon results Nail biter Loss gap President Barack Obama – D (i) 53.25% – 778,788 headlines grows for Mitt Romney – R local races Robinson 43.48% – 635,931 U.S. Representative, EUGENE (AP) — Oregon’s 4th District No. 4 BY DANIEL SIMMONS-RITCHIE Congressional District voters District results The World soundly rejected Cave Junction Peter DeFazio – D (i) COQUILLE – Elections don’t chemist Art Robinson for a second time Tuesday, choosing to send 58.73% – 200,343 get much closer than this. Democrat Peter DeFazio back to By 3:41 a.m. today, only 51 votes The Associated Press Art Robinson – R Washington, D.C. for an Republican Art Robinson challenged 39.44% – 134,527 separated commissioners Bob Early this morning, incumbent Bob Main unprecedented 14th term. incumbent Peter DeFazio again this year, Main and Fred Messerle in the race led challenger Fred Messerle by 51 votes In late returns, DeFazio had and lost by a wide margin. Secretary of State for Coos County commissioner, in the Coos County Position 1 race. almost 59 percent of the vote Position No. 1. compared with Robinson’s 38 border. Kate Brown – D (i) Main, the incumbent, held 49.8 At an election party at the office of percent, an even wider margin 50.7% – 702,331 percent of the vote to Messerle’s “I appreciate the support that The Sentinel newspaper in than he won by in the 2010 election people have given me,” DeFazio Knute Buehler – R 49.6, according to unofficial totals Coquille, the candidate released a when tea-party favorite Robinson said at a lively Democratic 44.21% – 612,115 released by the Coos County Elec- written statement: first challenged him. tions Office. celebration at Cozmic restaurant in “I would sincerely thank the DeFazio won in Lane, Benton downtown Eugene on Tuesday Outstanding ballots were approximately 200 people who and Coos County, losing in Curry, State Senate, expected to be compiled and night. “It says I’m doing worked and contributed to my Douglas, Josephine and Linn something right.” District No. 1 released by 4 p.m. today. campaign. I am deeply grateful to counties. Of the 163,046 votes for Neither candidate could be As it was two years ago, the District results all the good people who voted for DeFazio recorded by late Tuesday, battle between Robinson and reached for comment this morn- Jeff Kruse – R (i) me.” more than 100,000 came from DeFazio was acrimonious. Both ing, but both spent hours watching In Coos County’s two other Lane and Benton counties. candidates sought to be perceived 71.38% – 39,735 the race tighten. commissioner races, each winner The Springfield resident has as independent voices capable of Eldon Rollins – D Speaking at midnight, Messerle gained a decisive lead early in the now become the state’s longest- representing the values of a diverse 28.41% – 15,812 remained optimistic. evening. serving representative. There are district that includes the state’s “We certainly didn’t plan to John Sweet, a retired marketing college graduates who have never two largest research universities, State Senate, have it this close,”he said. “But it’s manager, handily beat Tim Bishop, known a different Congressman in remote rural communities and going to be what it’s going to be.” a Coos Bay businessman, for Posi- the 4th, which sprawls from the District No. 5 Main failed to return repeated Oregon State University campus in District results calls from The World on Tuesday. SEE MAIN | A8 Corvallis south to the California SEE DEFAZIO | A8 Arnie Roblan – D (i) 55.31% – 28,429 Scott Roberts – R Democrats rally to maintain control in Oregon 44.54% – 22,892 State Representative, District No. 1 Coos County BY STEVEN DUBOIS AND ans are generally not happy with the of state — registering corporations, District results JONATHAN J. COOPER state of affairs. Roughly a quarter of applying election laws and auditing Wayne Krieger – R (i) finds no The Associated Press voters said they are better off today government agencies — it’s the second- than four years ago, while about one- highest elected office in Oregon. The 68.32% – 21,207 reason to PORTLAND — Republicans had third said they are worse off. Almost 6 secretary is the first in line to be gover- Jim Klahr – D alter gov’t, hope, but Oregon voters were not ready in 10 Oregon voters said the economy nor if the chief executive dies or 31.45% – 9,762 A2 to change. was the top issue facing the nation, and resigns. Democrats on Tuesday retained their half saw rising prices as the biggest Republicans held the post for more State Representative, grip on all of Oregon’s partisan problem facing them over unemploy- than 100 years before losing it in the Oregonians statewide offices and chose President ment, taxes or the housing market. 1984 election. Democrats have had the District No. 9 say no to Barack Obama for a second time. Voters Election night in Oregon did not job ever since, but Buehler, an orthope- District results returned all five incumbent congress- include races for governor or U.S. Sen- dic surgeon from Bend, raised well over Caddy McKeown – D drugs, A5 men — four Democrats and Republican ate. $1 million in his bid to deny Brown a 54.62% – 14,207 Greg Walden — to Washington. Republican hopes to snap a decade- second term. Nancy Brouhard – R In the state Legislature, Democrats long losing streak for Oregon statewide But the Democrats’ strong advantage 42.64% – 11,090 Local GOP were on track to retake control of the offices rested with Knute Buehler, who in voter registration was too much to state House after two years of a 30-30 issued a strong challenge against overcome. Brown led by more than i = incumbent lawmakers see split, and they appeared likely to main- Democratic incumbent Kate Brown in 80,000 votes Tuesday evening and was tain their 16-14 edge in the state Senate. the race for secretary of state. declared the winner. SOURCE: Coos County Election Division a grim 2013, A8 The Democratic victories came Although voters might have a tough By Jeff Trionfante, The World despite exit polls that showed Oregoni- time reciting the duties of the secretary SEE CONTROL | A8 Doctored photos Local elections . A2 Sports . B1 Larry Hubbell, North Bend T S S E Lisa Weaver, Central Point D Images from shootings at A H L D What’s Up. A3 I B. Milo Fellows, Eugene South African mine are C T Comics . B4 R E A S Rain likely South Coast. A3 David Holmes, Charleston O different at inquiry. E R N 57/43 W I D Opinion. A4 Puzzles. B4 Obituaries | A5 Page A7 O F Weather | A8 C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 • The World • Wednesday, November 7,2012 Y K South Coast City Editor Ryan Haas • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Voters shun changes to county government BY DANIEL SIMMONS-RITCHIE consequences would be devastating to the The World county,”she said. The second measure, an ordinance that COOS BAY — After months of fierce would have added two new commissioners debate, voters snubbed two ballot measures and created the position of county adminis- that would have made fundamental changes trator,was knocked back 58.2 to 41.8 percent. to Coos County government. The first, a home rule charter that would Parry, a supporter of hiring an adminis- have set scores of new rules for the county’s trator, says it’s disappointing that the pro- operation, was defeated 74.4 to 25.6 percent. posal became so politicized. Measure 6-143 was put on the ballot by a “Change is scary, at any level,”Parry said. group of citizens and quickly drew fire from “And people were worried that they would officials. If adopted, many routine commis- wake up tomorrow and things would be dif- By Jessie Higgins, The World sioner decisions would require public votes, ferent.” Oregon House winner Rep. Caddy McKeown waits for election results with her husband, Jeff McKeown, and from contracts to property transfers. But Parry said some changes aren’t bad. fellow winner, Sen.Arnie Roblan, on Tuesday night. The authors of those rules, Fairview cou- He hopes that a future board of commission- ple Ronnie Herne and Jaye Bell, could not be ers will look at the proposal, which he still reached for comment Tuesday night. Interim Commissioner Cam Parry, who believes could streamline the county’s oper- McKeown wins right to ation. will be replaced by Melissa Cribbins in January, said voters made the right choice. Reporter Daniel Simmons-Ritchie can be “I think everybody realized however well reached at 541-269-1222, ext. 249, or at prestigious House seat intended the charter was, the unintended [email protected].