This morning, I noted that the President's proposal for a free trade zone within Central America was faltering within Congress. Now, as The Oregonian's Jeff Kosseff reports, one more key Democrat has announced his opposition to the plan.

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer [who spoke with us here], D-Ore., on Monday said he will vote against the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, providing a key vote to opponents of the trade expansion.

Blumenauer was among a few dozen House Democrats that business lobbyists had hoped would join a majority of Republicans and vote for the pact, which would expand trade with Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Blumenauer's decision followed months of deliberation and more than 100 meetings about the agreement, known as Cafta. He capped off his decision-making process last week, holding a public forum with Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore.

[...]

Blumenauer joins Oregon's three other House Democrats -- Peter DeFazio, Darlene Hooley and David Wu -- in opposing Cafta. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., recently announced his opposition to the pact. Oregon Republican Greg Walden, whose district includes sugar farmers, is undecided, as are Sens. Smith and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

As interesting as Blumenauer's decision is the fact that Walden -- who had a 70% conservative score on economic issues in 2004, according to National Journal -- has yet to come out in favor of the pact. If Bush can't rally the support of traditional conservatives like Walden, he has little shot of getting CAFTA passed.