 Myers defeated Kevin Mannix of Salem in the 1996 primary, when Mannix was a Democrat.Unlike counterparts in other states such as California and New York, the attorney general in Oregon can initiate some prosecutions, notably in election-law violations, organized crime and public corruption.But district attorneys in Oregon's 36 counties prosecute most crimes, although the attorney general provides help – especially in death-penalty cases – and defends convictions in the appellate courts.