Why was OREGON so close?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I just looked at the results for 2000 for the first time in years, and I noticed Oregon of all places was unnervingly close. Why Oregon??? I thought Oregon was pretty well established as firmly Democratic by then. I remember just assuming Al Gore would win Oregon easily.

[LLR]

Nader, mostly.

[Xing]

Nader, and growth in the Portland area hadn't yet put Oregon out of play.

[Nym90]

There was a lot of anger in Oregon about the environmental policies of the Clinton administration which hurt Gore, also. Many logging jobs were lost in the 1990's. There was a major controversy about the spotted owl as an endangered species halting logging operations.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Oregon wasnt that different in 2004 then 2012 if you look at PVI

in 2004 Bush won by 3 points and lost oregon by 4- +7dem
in 2012 Romney lost by 4 points and lost oregon by 12- +8 dem

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Nader, mostly.

[Skye]

Oregon wasnt that different in 2004 then 2012 if you look at PVI

in 2004 Bush won by 3 points and lost oregon by 4- +7dem
in 2012 Romney lost by 4 points and lost oregon by 12- +8 dem

The PVI in 2000 was Even.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Given the surprisingly close Washington poll and the Trump +2 Oregon poll from May, I would like to at least see an Oregon poll for this year that's not a part of a 50-state one.

[Mallow]

Nader, mostly.

Yep, I was too young to vote at the time, but I remember I even went with a couple friends to a Nader rally/talk at Lewis and Clark College (I think). Probably would have voted for Nader if I was three years older (and regretted it).

[TonyP63]

Portland not as yuppie yet