Already on track to break fundraising records
In 2018, candidates for governor of Oregon spent $37 million. Kate Brown and Knute Buehler destroyed the previous record, set in 2010 when John Kitzhaber and Chris Dudley spent $18 million. But 2022 will likely set a whole new record — so far, Betsy Johnson is leading fundraising with more than $2 million, Nicholas Kristof has over $1 million, and Bud Pierce has more than $700,000. That’s not even considering the 25 other candidates currently running. And we’re still eleven months out from the general election.
Since Johnson is running as an independent and therefore won’t be on primary ballots, she’ll probably do more of her spending closer to the general election next November, giving her plenty of time to fundraise even more. Kristof has an unusual fundraising advantage: he’s got VIP connections who can donate large sums who otherwise would likely ignore the Oregon governor’s race — his donors so far include Angelina Jolie and Larry Summers. With those two setting the financial stakes, other candidates will have to fundraise hard to keep up.
A chance for Oregon to restore Indigenous rights
In 1983, as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde fought for restoration of federal recognition of the tribe and treaty lands, the state of Oregon strong-armed the tribe into signing a consent decree as part of the restoration process. That decree limits tribal hunting and fishing rights, including limiting the tribe to hunting 395 elk per year. That decree’s limitations have not been updated in the past 38 years, even as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde’s membership has more than doubled. Only two tribes in the US are bound by consent decrees limiting their hunting and fishing rights. In November, US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley introduced Senate Bill 3126 to review the consent decree. Cheryle A. Kennedy, chairwoman of the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, shared a guest column with The Oregonian this weekend covering the history of the consent decree and the outcomes the tribe hopes for with Senate Bill 3126. Of course, Oregon’s state government could choose to restore those rights without waiting on federal action…
Oregon House Republicans choose new leadership
Rep. Christine Drazan (R-Canby) stepped down as leader of the Republican caucus in the Oregon House of Representatives in order to continue her campaign for governor of Oregon. The Republican caucus selected Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) as their new leader. Drazan has led the 23 Republican representatives since 2019, including leading a walk out over bills on climate change response in 2020. Breese-Iverson is perhaps best known for contesting the results of the 2020 election.
