Anna Staver

Statesman Journal

Planned Parenthood of Oregon helped launch a television ad this week attacking Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Dennis Richardson.

The 30-second ad attacks Richardson for statements he has made on abortion, same-sex marriage and illegal immigration.

For example, the ad cites a 2007 article by the Associated Press about the passage of Oregon's domestic partnership law where Richardson called homosexuality a "behavior-based orientation."

"Now that he's running for governor, Richardson wants to talk about anything but his own record," Laura Terrill Patten, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon, said in a statement. "Oregonians deserve to know the truth, and we're going to make sure they hear it."

Richardson is running against Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber. Planned Parenthood endorsed the governor early on. Oregon Right to Life endorsed the Central Point Republican, and its political action committee recently donated $50,000 to his election campaign.

Richardson's campaign called the ad unprofessional and questioned its accuracy, saying the quotes were used improperly.

"No amount of misrepresentation from Kitzhaber and his cronies is going to be able to draw attention away from the Governor's repeated failures on the issues that matter most to Oregonians," campaign spokeswoman Meredith Glacken said.