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The political frustrations of state Rep. Val Hoyle (D-Eugene) continue.
In a stunning turn of events, James Manning today won the nod for a Senate District 7 seat being vacated by state Sen. Chris Edwards (D-Eugene).
Manning, who is retired from the Army and serves on the Bethel School Board and the Eugene Water and Electric Board, ran unsuccessfully for a House seat earlier this year.
He was an underdog in the appointment process to replace Edwards because from the day Edwards announced he was resigning to take a job at the University of Oregon, Hoyle pursued the seat aggressively.
Hoyle, who stepped down from her position as House majority leader to run for Secretary of State (she lost in the May primary to Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian) had long relationships with the precinct committee people and county commissioners who made the decision today.
In a tweet, Eugene Register Guard politics reporter Saul Hubbard, who attended the Lane County Commission meeting at which the decision was made called Manning's selection a "big shock."
"Harris Hall is silent," Hubbard tweeted, referring to the building where the commission meets.