PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE:  This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

I wrote a few days ago about an Oregonian newspaper article listing potential candidates for governor when the incumbent’s (Kate
Brown) final term expires in about a year.

There were only Democrats listed among the potential candidates and I noted that fact.

Then, late this week, the on-line Oregon Catalyst newsletter came up with a list of potential Republican candidates, using information provided by a group called the “Oregon Taxpayer Association” – which, by the way, does not include me, an Oregon taxpayer, because the group is too far right for me.

No wonder the Oregonian didn’t include any of the R names. 

I am a political junkie of sorts and I didn’t recognize all of the names on the list based on the Catalyst report – some, but not all.  See if you recognize any of the names, which are provided with percentages based on a “straw poll,” whatever that is.

45 per cent – Stan Pulliam
21 per cent – Bud Pierce
19 per cent – Bill Post
7 per cent – Tootie Smith
5 per cent – Dallas Heard
3 per cent – Paul Romero

Leading candidate Stan Pulliam is the Mayor of Sandy. Bud Pierce was the 2016 Republican governor candidate I do know because he is from Salem. 

Bill Post is a state representative and former radio host, whom I know represents of Salem.

Tootie Smith is chair of Clackamas County Commission and a former state representative, whom I also know from her time in Salem.

Dallas Heard is a state senator and current Oregon GOP Chair. Paul Romero is a former Congressional candidate.  I don’t know either of them.

The fact that I know some, not all, of the Republican names also indicates that I suspect none of them will have any capacity to run statewide.

That means a Democrat is likely to succeed Brown.  And that means that a run of Ds in the state’s top political job will continue unabated.  

The last Republican governor of Oregon was the late Victor Atiyeh — and that was more than 35 years ago.

As a voter in Oregon, I wish there would be a genuine race for governor.  That would give us a chance to compare and contrast credentials no matter for whom you choose to vote.  As it is, the Democrat will win.