Oregon Federal Races
OFFPAC is a non partisan organization. We support good Democrats as well as good Republicans.
Sadly sometimes there is no one from any party we can enthusiastically support.
That being said, in the 2014 elections for US House of Representatives and US Senate, there is not a single Democrat we can support even when we are not really thrilled with the Republican. In some races we can’t unequivocally endorse any candidate.
So here’s our take on Federal races.
US Senate
Republican Monica Wehby is a skilled surgeon. She is obviously very bright. She does not, however, understand the firearms issue. She believes that the current background check system, which in Oregon is an exercise in frustration for too many Oregonians, is just fine. Obviously we don’t agree.
Wehby as aligned herself with the old guard Republican establishment that may be every bit as responsible for the mess our country is in as the Democrats. People like Mitt Romney who instituted bans on modern firearms when he was governor of Massachusetts and John McCain who campaigned against gun rights in Oregon.
Wehby’s stand on social issues has alienated much of the natural conservative base and her absence from planned debates with Merkley, who is ahead in the polls, has left many who want to oust Merkley scratching their heads.
Still, Wehby has said she does not support increased restrictions on your gun rights.
Even though we endorsed her opponent in the primary she has reached out to gun owners seeking support. She is also running against one of America’s worst Senators, Jeff Merkley, who is a virtual Marxist with no regard for personal liberty, is a radical anti-gunner and is a slavish servant of the Obama Administration.
For sheer awfulness, few politicians can come close to Merkley. His retirement would be a profound blessing. Wehby has one other distinct advantage over Merkley. Wehby has had actual “jobs” where she had to earn her own money instead of siphoning it from the taxpayers and she has had to make life and death decisions that she had to take responsibility for. Merkley has never had an experience like that. It’s long past time for him to go find something to do that is less damaging to the country.
Also running is Jim Leuenberger who is the Constitution Party candidate. Leuenberger is an attorney with a long pro-gun history. As a third party candidate with virtually no funding, Leuenberger is, to say the least, a long shot. But given that with every passing day Wehby is making herself less electable and alienating her most natural allies, voters might want to consider Leuenberger who has made no secret where he stands.
First Congressional District
In the First Congressional District the choice is easy.
The Democrats are running Suzanne Bonamici who was one of the most shrill and extreme opponents of gun rights when she served in the Oregon Legislature. She has distinguished herself as being equally anti-rights in the seat she took over from her friend and Tigger impersonator David Wu.
Her opponent is Jason Yates who also as the endorsement of the Constitution Party. Jason is a committed supporter of the Second Amendment and has our endorsement. That one was an easy call.
Second Congressional District
In the very Republican 2nd Congressional District Greg Walden is once again the Republican Candidate. As you know, OFFPAC endorsed Walden’s primary opponent. Walden get’s a “B” from our friends at Gun Owners of America, but we find his regular support for unconstitutional actions like The Patriot Act a bit unnerving.
Walden’s Democrat opponent, Alelea Christofferson supports amnesty for illegal immigrants, an issue that should concern gun owners greatly. She also supports Obamacare. Her website takes no position of gun rights and she did not respond to our request for her positions.
Third Congressional District
Oregon’s 3rd District is another easy choice. James Buchal is running as the Republican candidate against Earl Blumenauer, Democrat.
It would be almost impossible to create a candidate or Congressman worse than Blumenauer. His anti-gun hysteria borders on comedy and he has demonstrated an astonishing ignorance of current law.
Buchal is articulate, thoughtful and has a deep grasp on some of the dangerous overreaching going on in our country today. Much like Jeff Merkley, Blumenauer has no idea what a real job is. Voters in his district should help him find out.
Fourth Congressional District
4th District voters are also fortunate to have a clear choice.
Democrat Peter DeFazio is a career politician who gets a D- from GOA while his Republican opponent, Art Robinson, is an accomplished scientist, a proud supporter of liberty and gun rights and also, a member of OFF. For you hard core folks out there, you might like to know that Robinson was a personal friend of Jeff Cooper.
Fifth Congressional District
Finally in the 5th Congressional District the major party candidates are Kurt Schrader, Democrat and Tootie Smith Republican.
Smith served in the Oregon House where she was a supporter of gun rights. She is currently a Clackamas County Commissioner.
We think she has missed a few opportunities as commissioner to advance the Second Amendment, but there is no question she is far and away a better choice than Schrader.
Schrader’s personal wealth has helped him buy a few elections but did not prevent him from failing to pay his taxes a few times and Shrader has received the NRA endorsement numerous times in spite of his open support for more gun control.
What NRA is thinking is anyone’s guess but we do know that in addition to his support for more restrictions on your rights, Schrader has a hell of time telling the truth. He once told a town hall meeting that he had read every word of the Obamacare bill while voicing his support for it. He later called Obama “grossly misleading” on the bill he claims to have read. It’s clearly time for Kurt to go home to Canby.