A few more endorsements
I'll write up the measures and my endorsement for governor over the next few days. For now, a group endorsement.
County Sheriff -- Diana Simpson
You saw this one coming. In all seriousness, after the Jack Burright fiasco, I'm not going to bother writing in any blatant Burright replacements. Randy Hiner presumptiously chose the website address "sheriffhiner.com" which did make me laugh a little. Really, I'm just going to savor watching Tim Smith, founder of the anti-Simpson website, flail and writhe after Simpson wins. Heck, he still can't seem to accept the idea of a married woman retaining her maiden name, and insists on calling her Diana Simpson-Godfrey.
State Senator, 8th District - Mario Magaña
I'm tired of Frank Morse. He really loves the idea of a sales tax, something for which Oregonians have repeatedly shown disdain. Let's try someone new. Dr. Magana is a professor at Oregon State and a fairly amazing example of someone working his way up in the world. He immigrated from Mexico and worked as a farm laborer, then saw a commercial for a GED program and decided to enroll. He went all the way through graduate school and has some idea of what it's like being on the lower end of the economic scale.
Benton County Commissioner, Position 1 -- Linda Modrell
I'm not tired of Linda Modrell. She has handled the last two terms well and will continue to serve the interests of the community. Meanwhile, Ron Wright came to my door at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning and completely ignored the sign over the doorbell that says, "Night shift workers, please do not disturb." Started pounding away. I'm sleep-deprived as it is! I want a commissioner that can actually read and follow directions. :P
Various Judge Positions -- Don't Care.
They're really all about the same to me. No glaring red flags anywhere. Pick names at random, if you like. A good friend of mine plans to write in "Randy Hiner" for every unopposed candidate, which makes me laugh. I might do the same. Maybe we can elect him to something like Benton Soil and Water Conservation District Director. Won't he be surprised?
County Sheriff -- Diana Simpson
You saw this one coming. In all seriousness, after the Jack Burright fiasco, I'm not going to bother writing in any blatant Burright replacements. Randy Hiner presumptiously chose the website address "sheriffhiner.com" which did make me laugh a little. Really, I'm just going to savor watching Tim Smith, founder of the anti-Simpson website, flail and writhe after Simpson wins. Heck, he still can't seem to accept the idea of a married woman retaining her maiden name, and insists on calling her Diana Simpson-Godfrey.
State Senator, 8th District - Mario Magaña
I'm tired of Frank Morse. He really loves the idea of a sales tax, something for which Oregonians have repeatedly shown disdain. Let's try someone new. Dr. Magana is a professor at Oregon State and a fairly amazing example of someone working his way up in the world. He immigrated from Mexico and worked as a farm laborer, then saw a commercial for a GED program and decided to enroll. He went all the way through graduate school and has some idea of what it's like being on the lower end of the economic scale.
Benton County Commissioner, Position 1 -- Linda Modrell
I'm not tired of Linda Modrell. She has handled the last two terms well and will continue to serve the interests of the community. Meanwhile, Ron Wright came to my door at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning and completely ignored the sign over the doorbell that says, "Night shift workers, please do not disturb." Started pounding away. I'm sleep-deprived as it is! I want a commissioner that can actually read and follow directions. :P
Various Judge Positions -- Don't Care.
They're really all about the same to me. No glaring red flags anywhere. Pick names at random, if you like. A good friend of mine plans to write in "Randy Hiner" for every unopposed candidate, which makes me laugh. I might do the same. Maybe we can elect him to something like Benton Soil and Water Conservation District Director. Won't he be surprised?
posted by Corvallist at
8:53 AM
11 Comments:
I think you’re off the mark dismissing Randy Hiner due to Jack Burright’s mistakes. Randy makes some compelling arguments contrasting his vision for county services compared to Diana Simpson’s view of a more centralized operation.
I found it telling that when two Republican write-in candidates, together with Hiner (an independent), presented their pitch to the Benton County Republican central committee, the committee chose to withhold endorsement of either of the Republican candidates – an implied endorsement of Hiner.
As to your “tired / not tired” arguments against Frank Morse and for Linda Modrell; come on? Can’t you do better than that? Maybe I can take your personal aggravation at Ron Wright (just his bad luck?), but Frank Morse has been a remarkably good representative for our area and is no ideologue. He’s only had one term, so it’s tough to claim too much fatigue.
Anyway, glad to see the discussion and I hope everyone votes.
By
Michael Smith, at 4:48 PM
Where did Hiner get all the last minute money, to send shiney color ads to everybody's mailbox, for all those yard and billboard size signs he has out? That costs lots and lots of money. Where did he come up with that on an animal control officer salary and so quickly? He has some rich backer, I'd say.
By
Anonymous, at 7:52 PM
I read Dana McAvoy's ad in the paper today and he looked like he could plan. I think I will vote for McAvoy.
By
crallspace, at 7:58 PM
I'll give you a much better reason not to vote for Ron Wright. When asked how he felt about gay marriage, he said any "espousing Christian" knows that "homosexuality is a sin." I don't vote for bigots, regardless of the excuses they use to justify their prejudice.
As for the sheriff race... I like Diana Simpson just fine. I'll admit that part of the reason she's earned my support is that she has risen above this whole fiasco of a race, and partly, I'd like to see a woman put in charge of what is still a good ol' boys club in a county where such things should be outdated.
By
Corvallist, at 7:02 AM
As for the mayoral candidates and homosexuality, Tomlinson's B&B is listed online as being gay-friendly, and Gandara is involved with the Community Alliance for Diversity, which lists links to anti-homophobia articles on its website.
By
Anonymous, at 12:09 PM
I changed my vote to Simpson, b/c of what the Sheriff himself told me.
Hiner got all that money from right-wing groups like Right to Life and Clemmons Foundation, according to a friend of mine, in tune with all that.
Ron Wright sucks! I agree... no justification for biggotted assholes!
By
crallspace, at 10:52 AM
"Hiner acknowledged being arrested and pleading no-contest to a charge of physical harassment in 2001. He paid a $500 fine" (source).
Hiner received "a $20,000 contribution from Tammy Davis of Corvallis" (source). What do we know about this Tammy Davis?
By
Anonymous, at 3:52 PM
I did a bit of research for you on Judge of the Supreme Court, District 6, and came across this:
http://www.blueoregon.com/2006/05/jack_roberts_vi.html
All it really says is that Jack Roberts is a former Republican candidate for governor. Here's some of his stated platform:
"...defend hydro-electric dams...defend 2nd amendment rights; support parental notification for abortion..."
Not terrible, but not the sort of priorities that I as a card-carrying liberal want in a Judge. I urge like-minded thinkers to vote for Virginia Linder. I don't know what her campaign slogan is, but it ought to go with something like this:
At least she's not an anti-environmental, gun-loving, anti-choice right-winger.
By
Anonymous, at 1:26 AM
I agree that real differences exist between Virrginia Linder and Jack Roberts. FollowTheMoney.org provides an analysis of the cotributions. You can see what they report for Virginia Linder and for Jack Roberts. The biggest contributor to the latter is the "The American Justice Partnership". They gave him $150,000, nearly half of his total raised, and more than the complete total raised by Linder. So who are they, and what do they expect to get for their money?
"The American Justice Partnership is a national nonprofit coalition of leading corporations, think tanks, foundations, trade associations, individuals and organizations advocating for legal reform, primarily at the state level. AJP is an affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers." (The above from SourceWatch.org)
Hmmm... A coalition of corporations and manufacturers doesn't sound like they're folks like me. I'm voting for Linder!
William
By
Anonymous, at 3:06 PM
Tammy Davis' husband owns Videx in Corvallis. Just anyone but Simpson.
By
Anonymous, at 8:17 PM
Uh no, Simpson has earned my vote simply because she has managed to rise above the nastiest sheriff campaign in history.
By
Corvallist, at 8:27 PM
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