PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
Democratic Rep. David Wu announced he will resign Tuesday, leaving a vacancy in Congress that will be filled by way of a special election in Oregon.
A date for the special election has not been set, but the Secretary of State's Office estimates a primary election and special election would cost $400,000 each.
Depending on the date of the election, candidates could be chosen in a special primary election or by the political parties themselves.
WHAT ARE THE RULES?: Oregon's special election process
Oregon Republican Party Chairman Allen Alley says he sees Wu's resignation as an opportunity to elect a Republican businessman like Rob Cornilles, who lost to Wu last fall, or newcomer Rob Miller.
On the Democrat side, Brad Avakian started his campaign last spring and Rep. Brad Witt has also filed to run.
FOX 12 political analyst Tim Hibbitts suggested it could be a three to four month process to find a new congressman for the First District. He said it will be difficult for a Republican to win in a district that has long been dominated by Democrats.
"It'll be tough. It's not impossible," Hibbitts said. "They have to have a good candidate."
According to figures from the National Democratic Party, President Barack Obama won Oregon's First District in 2008 with 63 percent of the vote. John Kerry also won the district in 2004.
Wu's resignation comes after he was accused in a published report of an aggressive sexual encounter with an 18-year-old woman.
Copyright 2011 KPTV. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
