Prescript:I just discovered that BlueOregon (a regular read) has thought this post witty enough to link to. Thank you! Welcome all y'all!
Since Governor Ted declared, of course, the regular cast of Red clowns have started to line up against him. There's Kev Mannix, who's marked time since he lost last time leading the Oregon Republicans and scratching his head wondering why, oh why, can't more Republicans win major state offices, and of course, the Philosopher King of the Oregon Republicans, Ron Saxton.
Now we have State Sen. Jason Atkinson. It's good to see someone not of the usual suspects toss his hat into the ring. However! He was quoted by KEX radio this morning as saying something interesting, something I can't quite get out of my head: "Oregonians", he apparently said, "are tired of seeing Republicans lose elections."
No, no, Oregonians aren't, not as a whole big lump'o'people. If they were, more of you would be in office now.
Personally, I never get tired of seeing Republicans lose elections. I'd like to see it more often. Mostly because the current stripe of the Red menace put party before people. The sort of Republican that would win my vote is of the Tom McCall/Vic Atiyeh (1970s-80s vintage) type, and, sadly, there's no such thing in Oregon today.
By Samuel John Klein of Portland, Oregon - Graphic Designer without Portfolio, aspiring artist who dawdled too long.
9 comments:
I've lived in Oregon 20 years now and read the newspaper every day.
I have never, ever heard of this guy in my life and he wants to be... governor?
Next!
His entry into the race is Ted Kulongoski's worst nightmare.
Atkinson has been fairly quiet of late, but his nose has definitely been turned toward Mahonia Hall.
Whatever. Kulongoski, Republican...what's the difference?
Pete Sorenson (electsorenson.com) is a totally different story and oh yeah, Sen. Vicki Walker is announcing in a week. Rumours also abound of a Peter Defazio or Earl Blumenauer entry. Bradbury is also a contender.
Maybe with two Eugeneans in this primary we might get a real choice.
Ted sold us out on education, the environment, and health care. I doubt Mannix would have done much worse.
Well, I can't exactly say that I'm excited and pleased about Governor Ted's achievements this term.
But compared with Kev, this banal, "Republicans are holy and always right", time-market with more loyalty to his party than his state, I'm still happier we have Ted. Mannix would have led the state like a modern Republican, and that would have spelt distaster, rather than the middling non-success we've seen.
Honestly, Oregonians who care about thier state shouldn't touch any Republican candidate with a ten-foot ballot punch.
I'm also quite interested in the Walker and Sorenson candidacies and look forward to what they have to say. I'm looking forward to that.
Word to John: Knowing that Atkinson's father was involved in any way with the Oregon "Citizens" Alliance is enough to make him ananthema to me.
As most of you probably know many democrats were to have 'hoped' for a Reagan primary win because they thought that he would be easier for Carter or Kennedy to beat...of course things turned out differently...in many ways I see Atkinson as the best hope for a statewide victory by the most conservative part of the Republican party, he is smart, he is personable, he has discipline...he will be a formidable opponent someday for someone in a statewide race.
I've lived in Oregon 35 years now and read the newspaper every day.
I have never, ever heard of Sorenson in my life and he wants to be... governor?
ok everyone
I was just hanging backstage at a Sara Evans concert in Jacksonville, OR and got to see young Jason Atkinson, his wife, one of his politcal consultants and her husband hanging with Ms. Sara and her lovely husband Craig Schelske
all I know is these people are dangerous and need to be stopped
a bunch of dangerous delusional thugs
yes notes from the cultural backwaters
cheers everyone it sure is nice here on the titanic eh?
Ted has been asleep at the wheel for 3 years in case none of you figured that out. Atkinson brings energy, enthusiasm, and a genuine desire to increase the workforce and industry in a state nationally regarded as "Poor-egon." We can't afford to try and build an industry out of windmill and wine shops and welfare recipients, as much as the Democrats here like to think of welfare and taxation as ecological industries. I am a native here, an attorney, and I worked for national politicians from this state in D.C. There is no doubt in my mind that we have been going in the wrong direction for 20 years. Worse yet, my former employer, Governor Ted, is an arrogant ass and a resume builder, much like his fellow bretheren Goldshchit.
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