Oregon Public Broadcasting

Businessman Mike Erickson pulled off one of last night's upsets, defeating third-time candidate Kevin Mannix for the nomination to Oregon's Fifth Congressional District. As April Baer reports,  the race was close--and ugly.

In the final weeks of the campaign, Mannix dropped a political grenade in the 5th district primary. He issued a campaign mailing accusing Erickson of paying for a girlfriend's abortion back in 2000.

Erickson is anti-abortion. But Republican voters elected Erickson anyway.

Erickson spoke publicly about the controversy last night for the first time since the claims emerged.

Mike Erickson: "Two weeks ago we were up by 9 points, and the polls show us up by about 9 right now. So  the numbers held. We were excited about that. The message of personal political destruction didn't work for Kevin Mannix."

For his part, Mannix said he had no regrets about  making the allegations public.

Mike Erickson now will face Democrat Kurt Schrader, a state Senator and veterinarian, in a contest for one of the nation's hottest open seats in Congress.