Electrician eyeing run for labor post

Dan Gardner, a member of Electrical Workers Local 48 and a three-term state representative from southeast Portland, is seriously considering running for Oregon labor commissioner in 2002.

"I'm strongly leaning toward running," said Gardner a week after the end of the 2001 legislative session in which he served as House minority leader for the Democrats.

Gardner formed an exploratory committee several months ago and told the Northwest Labor Press he will make an official announcement before Labor Day.

Gardner is prevented from running for re-election to his District 13 seat because of term limits. However, last month a Marion County judge struck down the term limits law voters approved in 1992, ruling that the initiative made too many unrelated constitutional changes.

The lower-court ruling is headed for the Supreme Court, but any decision there could take months because it is short one justice - Ted Kulongski, who resigned earlier this year to run for governor in 2002.

Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber will select the new justice (which doesn't require Senate confirmation), but that could take months.

If, however, the high court overturns the law or decides not to hear the case and let the lower court ruling stand, Gardner would be eligible for re-election along with 12 other House members and 13 senators. The law as written limits House members to six years and senators to eight, with 12 years allowed overall.

Gardner said he is "95 percent sure" the Supreme Court would overturn the law, but even if they do he won't seek re-election. That's because a redistricting plan submitted by Democrats puts him in the same House district as Carolyn Tomei, a fellow Democrat he helped recruit. "I'm not interested in going there," he said.

The incumbent labor commissioner, Jack Roberts, is running for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and won't be seeking re-election.

An open seat, especially in a non-partisan race such as that for labor commissioner, can attract a slew of candidates. Eugene Democrat Peter Sorenson expressed interest in the post during a meeting with the Northwest Oregon Labor Council. Bend Republican Ben Westlund and Speaker of the House Mark Simmons of Elgin are also mentioned as possible candidates.

In a non-partisan election the winner could be determined in the May primary if a candidate receives 50 percent plus one of the statewide vote.

Gardner has been a member of IBEW Local 48 for 23 years and serves as the union's vice president. He is a third-generation member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.