“You know what they say: A week is an eternity in politics,” Kissell said. “I don’t want to speculate beyond my own race in my own district, and I feel really good about where we are.”

Not everybody is so unsure about the meaning of Obama’s candidacy. In fact, some are battling over the Obama mantle.

Raimondo, a former Republican who switched parties to run for the Senate, faces former congressional candidate Scott Kleeb in the primary. Kleeb has likened his own candidacy to Obama’s but has not endorsed him.

“I’ve been leading on the issue of gridlock and working across the aisle,” Raimondo said. “It’s a main part of my platform; I’m the moderate Democrat. I think most people believe my opponent is much further left.”

One of the first big battles of a hotly contested Oregon Senate primary has seen Democrats Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick fight over their support for Obama, who is expected to carry their state with ease on May 20, the same day their Senate primary is to be held.

Both initially supported Edwards and have since jumped to Obama. The winner will face Sen. Gordon Smith (R).

With Obama coming to the state last week, Merkley’s campaign shopped quotes from columns Novick wrote in 2006 that were critical of Obama, calling him a “captive-of-special interest fraud” and suggesting he would be “a complete sell-out to the military-industrial complex.”

Novick campaign manager Jake Weigler said Novick’s sentiments might have been “overly blunt.” Even when endorsing Obama, Novick noted many of their differences.

“One thing Steve has maintained throughout this campaign is that he’s going to offer a frank and honest assessment … on issues, even if that means disagreeing with people in his own party,” Weigler said.

Among the few House candidates who have endorsed are former Alaska state Rep. Ethan Berkowitz, New Jersey state Sen. John Adler, and Minnesota state Sen. Terri Bonoff, who are all backing Obama.

Bonoff, who is battling from behind in the Democratic contest for Rep. Jim Ramstad’s (R) seat, said Obama’s approach is consistent with her message of “uniting the middle.”

“I’ve always believed it’s better to be forthright and say where you stand,” Bonoff said of her endorsement.
Republicans are dubious about Obama’s actual appeal to GOP voters, pointing to polls that show GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) taking more Democratic votes than vice versa.

They have also played up the recent National Journal article that ranks Obama’s voting record as the most liberal in the Senate.

“The Senate’s ‘most liberal’ member cannot hope to run well among independents and conservatives on a typical Democratic platform of higher taxes and bigger government,” Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant said Monday.