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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW UPDATED: Wounded Idaho pastor regains consciousness; suspect arrested in D.C. ... Hearts With a Mission expanding to Grants Pass ... String of storms expected to bring wind and rain ... UPDATED: Wounded Idaho pastor regains consciousness; suspect arrested in D.C. ... Hearts With a Mission expanding to Grants Pass ... String of storms expected to bring wind and rain ... House District 55: McLane The lawyer and publishing entrepreneur would make a stronger legislator It's been a quiet primary season for Southern Oregon legislative candidates, because nearly all are unopposed for their party's nomination. The only contested race is in House District 55, where two Republicans are running what amounts to a general election campaign six months early. Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 7, 2010 at 2:00 AM Posted May. 7, 2010 at 2:00 AM » Social News It's been a quiet primary season for Southern Oregon legislative candidates, because nearly all are unopposed for their party's nomination. The only contested race is in House District 55, where two Republicans are running what amounts to a general election campaign six months early. No Democrat filed for the seat now held by Rep. George Gilman, R-Medford, who is retiring. That's not surprising, given that Republican voters in the sprawling rural district outnumber Democrats by more than 6,000. The district is the second-largest in the state, encompassing all of Crook and Lake counties and portions of Deschutes, Klamath and Jackson. The Jackson County portion includes Eagle Point, Butte Falls, Shady Cove and the northeast outskirts of Medford. Both candidates this year live in Crook County. Mike Wendel, 40, a maintenance specialist for the Oregon Department of Transportation, is the mayor of Prineville. Mike McLane, 45, an attorney and book publisher, lives in Powell Butte. On the issues, there isn't much to separate the two. Both advocate limiting government spending and returning more control over issues such as land use and resource industries to the local level. Both were born and raised east of the Cascades, Wendel in Prineville and McLane in Condon. After that, their paths diverged. Wendel has lived in Prineville all his life, and lacks a college degree. McLane earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Oregon State University and a law degree from Lewis and Clark, and clerked for an Oregon Supreme Court judge. He served as a special prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office and practiced law in Portland before returning to Eastern Oregon, where he practices in Redmond. McLane also has served as a Circuit Court judge pro tem, and is a member of the Crook County/Prineville Economic Development Advisory Board. He is a major in the Oregon Air National Guard, serving as a staff judge advocate. McLane also is co-founder of a publishing company that produced the popular Flying Rhino series of children's books. He's assembled an impressive list of endorsements, including Jackson County Commissioner C.W. Smith and State Sen. Jason Atkinson. Wendel touts his local government experience, noting that McLane has never held public office. While that's true, it doesn't necessarily make Wendel a stronger candidate. His campaign has been lackluster compared with McLane's. He has raised little campaign money, and didn't respond to a candidate questionnaire from The Oregonian. As a result, McLane's detailed answers appear alone in The Oregonian's online voters guide. Either candidate would reflect the views of most voters in the conservative rural district. But it's clear to us that McLane would be a stronger legislator. MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 7, 2010 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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