SALEM — Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has scheduled a special election to replace Democratic U.S. Rep. David Wu, who resigned late Wednesday.
Party members will choose their candidates in a Nov. 8 primary election, and the nominees will face off in a general election Jan. 31.
Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian and state Rep. Brad Witt are seeking the Democratic nomination. Sports-business consultant Rob Cornilles is running for the Republican nod.
Wu already had announced his intention to resign after The Oregonian published allegations that he had an unwanted sexual encounter with an 18-year-old woman. In May, the woman left a voice mail message about the encounter at Wu’s Portland office. She has not pursued criminal charges.
Wu resigned his seat late Wednesday, making him the fourth member of Congress to quit this year in the wake of a sex scandal.
Wu, 56, already had announced his intention to resign after his hometown paper, The Oregonian, published allegations that he had an unwanted sexual encounter with an 18-year-old woman. In May, the woman left a voice mail message about the encounter at Wu’s Portland office. She has not pursued criminal charges.
Wu made his resignation official in a handwritten letter to Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber.
“With gratitude to the people of Oregon and confidence that our best days are yet to come, I hereby resign as their United States Congressman for the First District of Oregon, effectively immediately,” Wu wrote.
The resignation will set off a spirited special election for Wu’s congressional seat.
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