Conservatives defeat 3 GOP House incumbents

PORTLAND (AP) — Conservatives appear to be winning the fight for the soul of the Republican Party in the Oregon state House, decisively beating back establishment candidates Tuesday in three of four districts.

Rep. Jim Thompson of Dallas was defeated by Polk County GOP chair Michael Nearman, who had backing from social conservatives. Thompson’s support for a ballot measure that would legalize gay marriage was unpopular on the right. The district includes a wide swath of rural Benton County.

Read more at the Corvallis Gazette-Times