There are certain signs that a campaign isn’t going well. One of the biggest is when you feel like you have to pay an attorney to contact your opponent and make threats of legal action. While this kind of thing may be more common at the federal level, with the highest public offices in the nation, I never expected to …
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I’ve always thought it’s important for candidates who are running for office to be familiar with whatever that position entails. That way, they have a better sense of what they’re getting into. But more importantly, it means that they’re also aware of the limitations of what they can and cannot do after they’ve been elected. Many people try to get …
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Now that the November 2022 general election is just around the corner, voter pamphlet statements are becoming available to the public. Many voters base their candidate selection on the contents of those pamphlets. Ideally, the statements put together by candidates and their campaigns should be accurate representations of where they stand on the most important issues we face. But that’s …
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Perhaps one of the greatest points of contrast between myself and my opponent, Clackamas County Commissioner Sonya Fischer, is our attitudes and approaches when it comes to dealing with Metro. Ever since being appointed to commissioner position 5, Fischer has consistently carried water for Metro and its agenda, at the tremendous expense of Clackamas County residents. By contrast, once I’m …
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The Oregon Legislature made national news a few years back when two consecutive sessions were cut short by walkouts from Republicans over a proposed cap and trade bill. Because they were so far in the minority, the Republican legislators felt the only way they could stop it from passing was to deny the necessary quorum. Prior to then, there were …
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It’s easy to think of every political race in the context of national partisan elections. The same rhetoric used by Republicans and Democrats running for Congress often trickles down to local races, even though the offices being sought are drastically different. So much emphasis gets placed on divisive social issues that have raged in the public consciousness for decades. But …
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Challenging a sitting incumbent is no easy task. But that’s exactly what I’m doing in this November general election as I campaign for Clackamas County Commissioner, Position 5. On one hand, a current officeholder has several advantages. They get the automatic photo ops. Local media outlets are eager to use their press releases and request interviews. The power of the …
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There are a lot of nuances involved when it comes to public policy. Candidates will often stick to the most generic, reliable, poll-tested catch phrases to seem as inoffensive as possible and appeal to the broadest cross section of voters. The same phrases, if applied properly, can also mean different things to different people. That’s why it’s important to read …
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Often times, candidates running for office make their pitches to voters based on partisan inclinations and considerations. So how’s that working out for all of us? I think that campaigns should be based on issues, candidates’ visions and practical considerations. The most important of those is whether or not they support policies that are working as they were intended. It’s …
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As I make my way around Clackamas County to campaign for commissioner position 5, people often ask why I’m running. I tell them about my track record of advocating for underdogs at the local, state and federal level, including my current stint as a Wilsonville City Councilor. But when they ask me about who is currently in the position I’m …
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