This section covers various upcoming elections, as well as past elections.
For discussions of voting procedures, voter registration issues, election integrity, etc., search the OFIR website for terms such as election, voter registration, fraud, etc.
August 4, 2018
SEE ALSO: Update, Sept. 16, 2018
Information on candidates’ views about immigration issues is becoming available and convenient now thanks to the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Survey for the General Election, November 6, 2018.
Also NumbersUSA has posted some information on Oregon candidates. It issued a questionnaire of its own which can be downloaded and presented to a candidate, or candidates can voluntarily complete one. Among Oregon candidates, Mark Callahan, candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, CD 5, returned the questionnaire and is rated a True Immigration Reformer on the basis of his replies. Callahan is the Republican candidate opposing incumbent Rep. Kurt Schrader (D), who seeks reelection.
See the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Survey’s Comparison Table on Immigration Issues, that displays the following questions for Oregon candidates with answers given by the candidates:
Supports repeal of Oregon's sanctuary state law?
Supports requiring employers use E-verify system for work eligibility?
Supports proof of US citizenship to register to vote?
Supports limiting sale of farm land to U.S. citizens?
Believes US Constitution includes support for Sharia Law?
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Also the OAAVEP survey displays a complete list of candidates for each position: U.S. Representative, Governor, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor & Industries, State Senate, State Representative, and various local offices. Usually the addresses for candidates’ campaign websites are displayed also. If the candidate has replied to the OAAVEP survey questions, that’s indicated by the embedded link “ANSWERS.”
There are differences in the questions asked of the types of candidates. For U.S. Representatives, these questions are asked:
10. Do you support sections 1021 and 1022 of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act allowing the U.S. Military to arrest and detain ANY "suspected" terrorist without trial, legal counsel, or accusation of wrongdoing?
11. Do you support treating Antifa as a terrorist group?
22. Do you support requiring all employers to use the Federal E-Verify system to determine the employee's work eligibility status to work in the United States?
23. Do you support requiring proof that immigration law enforcement has been established before any form of amnesty is considered?
24. Do you support withholding federal funds to sanctuary cities that do not cooperate in federal immigration law enforcement?
25. Do you support spending public funds to benefit illegal aliens?
26. Do you support automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. when both parents are not legal residents?
For Governor candidates, there is a Comparison Guide listing questions but no direct replies from the candidates, as no Governor candidate replied to the Survey. The Guide cites a limited amount of information from public sources.
For more detailed information on Republican Party nominee Knute Buehler and Democratic Party nominee Kate Brown, see the OFIR summary from the May 2018 Primary election.
Candidate Knute Buehler recently announced that he supports IP 22, the Stop Oregon Sanctuaries initiative. Incumbent Gov. Kate Brown is well-known as a supporter of multiple benefits to illegal aliens and for her strong opposition to Pres. Trump’s immigration policies.
For State Senate and State Representative candidates, the particular questions are:
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon's sanctuary state law?
11. Do you support sections 1021 and 1022 of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act allowing the U.S. Military to arrest and detain ANY "suspected" terrorist without trial, legal counsel, or accusation of wrongdoing?
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in Oregon?
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee's work eligibility status?
Measure 105 would repeal Oregon’s sanctuary for illegal aliens law, ORS 181A.820
September 19, 2018
Candidates listed without an asterisk have specifically stated support for Measure 105.
Candidates listed with an asterisk are being credited with support for Measure 105 because they were in the Legislature in 2017 and voted NO on HB 3464, the Privacy for illegal aliens bill that further hampers cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. HB 3464 was filed on behalf of Gov. Kate Brown and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. It had only one public hearing, on June 8. On June 20, the House voted: 35 Yes, all by Democrats, and 23 No, all by Republicans. The Senate vote, held on July 6, the next-to-last day of the session, was 16 Yes, all by Democrats, and 13 No, all by Republicans. Two Representatives and one Senator did not vote.
This list is based primarily on the Comparison Chart on Immigration from the 2018 Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education questionnaire. If errors or omissions are found here, please alert Oregonians for Immigration Reform at ofir@oregonir.org
CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR:
Knute Buehler (R) He has announced publicly he will vote for Measure 105, and he also voted against HB 3464 in the Legislature.
Aaron Auer (C)
CANDIDATES FOR OREGON STATE SENATE:
SD 04 – Scott Rohter (R)
SD 10 – Jackie Winters (R)*
SD 13 – Kim Thatcher (R)
SD 19 – David Poulson (R)
SD 20 – Alan Olson (R)*
CANDIDATES FOR OREGON STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
HD 01 – David Brock Smith (R) *
HD 02 – David Lief (R)
HD 03 – Carl Wilson (R)*
HD 04 – Duane Stark (R)*
HD 05 – Sandra Abercrombie (R)
HD 07 – Cedric Hayden (R)*
HD 10 – Thomas Donahue (R)
HD 15 – Shelly B. David (R)
HD 17 – Sherrie Sprenger (R)*
HD 18 – Rick Lewis (R)
HD 21 – Jack Esp (R)
HD 22 – Marty Heyen (R)
HD 23 – Mike Nearman (R) (a sponsor of Measure 105)
HD 24 – Ron Noble (R)*
HD 29 – David Molina (R)
HD 30 – Dorothy Merritt (R)
HD 31 – Brian G. Stout (R)
HD 33 – Elizabeth Reye (R)
HD 34 – Michael Ngo (R)
HD 35 – Bob Niemeyer (R)
HD 37 – Julie Parrish (R)*
HD 48 – Sonny Yellott (R) (implied from 2016 candidacy)
HD 55 – Mike McLane (R)*
HD 56 – E. Werner Reschke (R)
HD 57 – Greg Smith (R)*
HD 58 – Greg Barreto (R) (a sponsor of Measure 105)
As of early April 2018, many candidates have replied to the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project survey. We’re seeing a significant gain in numbers of candidates who agree that ending sanctuary policies for illegal aliens is necessary. Also, many candidates back additional measures for better immigration control.
This year these important offices which deal partly with immigration issues will be on the ballot: Oregon Governor, Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries, 16 Oregon State Senators, all 60 Oregon State Representatives, and all 5 U.S. Representatives in Congress. All of these are partisan offices except the Commissioner of Labor and Industries, which is non-partisan.
OFIR will try to share available information on candidates supportive of immigration policies that serve the interests of U.S. citizens. Illegal and excessive legal immigration must be ended.
Candidates generally have campaign websites; these can be found in an internet search by including in the search term the candidate’s name and the word candidate, or candidate Oregon. Often the campaign websites include an Issues section with statements on the issues the candidate considers important. The absence of a statement or a very vague statement on immigration policy is an indication that the candidate might be uninformed about it or prefers to avoid the issue. We encourage voters to write or call the campaign and ask that the subject of immigration be included on their website. If the candidate does not, or will not, one might be concerned that if elected, that candidate could not be counted on to support positions important for immigration controls.
The Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project survey included the following questions to candidates concerning their views on immigration policy. One can check through the lists of candidates to find their answers if the candidate replied to the survey.
OAAVEP Questions for candidates, Oregon Governor and Oregon Legislature:
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary state law?
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon?
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status?
OAAVEP Questions for candidates, U.S. Congress, House of Representatives:
22. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status?
23. Do you support requiring proof that immigration law enforcement has been established before any form of amnesty is considered?
24. Do you support withholding federal funds to sanctuary cities that do not cooperate in federal immigration law enforcement?
25. Do you support spending public funds to benefit illegal aliens?
26. Do you support automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. when both parents are not legal residents?
44. How would you propose screening war refugees to prevent potential terrorists from entering Oregon with them?
April 10, 2018
Candidates for Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries
Oregon Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is a nonpartisan position; incumbents serve 4-year terms.
“The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination.”-- http://www.oregon.gov/boli/Pages/about_us.aspx
The Commissioner’s decisions affect citizen workers, many of whom face unemployment or depressed wages because employers are allowed to hire illegal aliens, undermining wage and employment standards for all workers.
There are only 3 candidates for this office: Jack Howard of La Grande, Val Hoyle of Eugene, and Lou Ogden of Tualatin. None of them replied to the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project survey which included questions on immigration policy. Candidate Hoyle is known to be a strong supporter of benefits to illegal aliens; see details below. Candidates Ogden and Howard appear not to have made, as of April 10, any statements on immigration policy.
Voters can visit the candidate websites of Ogden and Howard and contact them requesting information on their positions on immigration policy:
Lou Ogden: https://vote4louogden.com/
Jack Howard: https://votejackhoward.com/
Val Hoyle: http://www.valhoyle.com/
Lou Ogden has been Mayor of Tualatin since 1994 and is now completing his 6th term. According to his Facebook page, he was endorsed for his 1994 reelection race by both State Senator Richard Devlin and Congressman Greg Walden. Ogden’s 2018 filing paper with the Secretary of Labor’s office does not show a party affiliation.
Some of Ogden’s endorsements in the 2018 race: Congressman Greg Walden, Tualatin Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Small Business Association PAC, Oregon Family Farms Association PAC, Washington County Commission Chair Andy Duyck, Happy Valley Mayor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and various elected leaders throughout the state. See full list on his website.
In a wide-ranging interview posted by the Oregon Catalyst, Ogden said: “Every decision the Commissioner makes has a consequence, and more often than not, those consequences are directly impacting front-line workers.”
Jack Howard is currently completing his first term (2015-2019) as a Union County Commissioner. His biography on the Council Commission’s website says: “Jack Howard’s previous work includes a decade as a freelance writer and researcher, five years as an English teacher, and a lawyer.” His website gives general statements about his political ideas. His filing paper with the Secretary of State indicates affiliation with the Democratic Party.
Val Hoyle, of Eugene, served as a State Representative for several years, beginning in 2009. She represented House District 14. She became House Democratic Leader, and later resigned in 2016 to run for Secretary of State, losing that race to Dennis Richardson.
Val Hoyle’s record on immigration issues is very poor. During her time in the Legislature, she had an influential role in the management of bills that favored illegal aliens.
Val Hoyle was originally appointed to the House to fill the unexpired term of Chris Edwards; then she was elected in 2010 and following years. She was named Assistant House Democratic Leader for the 2011 session, then became House Democratic Leader for the 2013 session and also for the 2015 session. In the 2015 session, besides being House Democratic Leader, she was Chair of the House Rules Committee, and a member of these committees: Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Capital Construction; Joint Committee on Legislative Administration.
In the 2013 Legislative session, she voted to make SB 833, granting driver cards for illegal aliens, a special order of business, enabling fast-tracking of the bill through the House without a House hearing. The next day, April 30, the bill was voted on in the House, and she voted Aye to driver cards for illegal aliens. Also, in 2013, she was a sponsor of HB 2787, providing instate tuition for illegal aliens, and she voted for it.
In 2014, she almost certainly was a decisive voice in rewriting the ballot title of Measure 88; this measure (88) was the veto referendum on SB 833. The bill calling for a rewrite, HB 4054, was pre-session introduced at the request of the House Interim Committee on Rules. Rep. Hoyle was Chair of the House Rules Committee. She voted for the bill when it came before the House which passed it on Feb. 27. Because there was widespread disapproval of this attempt to hamper public understanding of the bill, the bill was not voted on by the Senate, and it died.
One of the first bills heard in the House in 2015 was HB 2177, automatic, universal voter registration which increases chances for illegal alien voting. It was also fast-tracked, with a public hearing on Feb. 2, work session on Feb. 4, Rules suspended on Feb.18 and House vote on Feb. 20. Rep. Hoyle voted Aye. Fast tracking continued in the Senate which held no hearing, and the bill became law on March 16.
She also voted in 2015 for SB 932, college tuition grants for illegal aliens.
All five of Oregon’s incumbent U.S. Representatives are running for reelection. All five have been in office long enough to create a clear record of their views and actions on immigration policy. NumbersUSA tracks voting records of members of Congress on immigration bills, and based on their voting histories as of April 2018, NumbersUSA gives Oregon’s incumbents the following overall grades for their voting records on immigration issues:
CD 1 – Suzanne Bonamici – F-
CD 2 – Greg Walden – C-
CD 3 – Earl Blumenauer – F-
CD 4 – Peter DeFazio – F-
CD 5 – Kurt Schrader – F-
NumbersUSA has questionnaires for candidates and rates candidates on their answers. Currently, Mark Callahan, candidate in CD 5, opposing incumbent Rep. Kurt Schrader, and Jo Rae Perkins, candidate in CD 4, opposing incumbent Rep. Peter DeFazio, have the highest rating that Numbers USA gives, labelling them both “True Immigration Reformers.”
OAAVEP 2018 candidate survey
No incumbents replied to the questionnaire of the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project, but several of the challengers to incumbents did reply. These candidates returned answers:
CD 1 – Ricky Barajas (D), Michael E. Stanfield (D)
CD 2 – Randy Pollack (R), Paul J. Romero Jr. (R)
CD 3 – Eric Hafner (D)
CD 4 – Jo Rae Perkins (R), Stefan G. Strek (R)
Arthur B. Robinson (R) - His answers from 2014 are listed.
CD 5 – Mark Callahan (R), Joey Nations (R), Robert L. Reynolds (R)
Jo Rae Perkins, Mark Callahan and Joey Nations all spoke at the OFIR meeting in February, giving their views on immigration. Callahan is a member of the Board of OFIR.
Individual candidates’ replies to the OAAVEP survey can be seen by clicking on the “Answers” links in the OAAVEP list of 2018 Congressional candidates. There are 45 questions in the survey; questions 22 through 26 and question 44 deal with immigration.
OAAVEP has prepared a comparison guide for answers of Congressional candidates which simplifies comparing their views. See the comparison chart for candidates here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRnRjF2H90OaQ-zMb4iw4ge-5vCxA__Ex3olL3V36ZtISlVJwOE1JaQjNk1tgoBFmyNzXrBRarPa3JT/pubhtml?gid=252468302&single=true
The immigration questions in the 2018 OAAVEP survey asked Congressional candidates:
22. Do you support requiring all employers to use the Federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status to work in the United States?
23. Do you support requiring proof that immigration law enforcement has been established before any form of amnesty is considered?
24. Do you support withholding federal funds to sanctuary cities that do not cooperate in federal immigration law enforcement?
25. Do you support spending public funds to benefit illegal aliens?
26. Do you support automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. when both parents are not legal residents?
44. How would you propose screening war refugees to prevent potential terrorists from entering the country with them?
CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
Updated April 26, 2018
As of April 26, six candidates for Governor (2 R’s, 2 D’s and 2 Ind.) have replied to the 2018 Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project survey, which asked governor candidates these questions on immigration:
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary state law?
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon?
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status?
You can click here to see a comparison guide to replies: http://bit.ly/OAA2018-ComparisonOnImmigration
ANSWERS OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
Sam Carpenter – Yes to all 3 questions. Jonathan I Edwards III – 10, No; 23 and 42, Yes.
Sam Carpenter also replied to the 2016 questions when he was running for U.S. Senate. Here are his 2016 answers:
22. Do you support requiring all employers to verify employee eligibility to work in the United States? Yes. 23. Do you support securing the borders before any form of amnesty is legalized? Yes. 24. Do you support spending public funds to benefit illegal immigrants? No. 25. Do you support automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. when both parents are not legal residents? No.
Carpenter spoke at the February OFIR meeting, giving his views on immigration. He has a campaign website at https://www.makeoregongreatagain.com/ with a page describing in full detail his positions on immigration policy.
A Republican Party candidate for Governor, Greg C. Wooldridge, who has not so far provided answers to the OAAVEP survey, does support strict immigration controls. He spoke to the OFIR meeting in February, making his views clear. His website at https://wooldridgefororegon.com/ includes, in the Issues section, a strong statement on immigration reform.
A candidate reputed to be a prominent Republican contender for Governor, Representative Knute Buehler of Bend (House District 54), does not mention immigration on his campaign website and is not known to have issued any specific statement on this issue. He did not reply to the OAAVEP survey. However, his voting record while in the State legislature from 2015 to present shows that he consistently voted against bills that accommodate illegal immigrants (SB 932 in 2015, SB 558 and HB 3464 in 2017, and HB 4111 in 2018).
Two other Republicans, Bruce Cuff and Jack Tacy, originally filed as candidates for Governor, and replied to the OAAVEP survey, but they dropped out recently. On Cuff’s campaign website, he now endorses Greg Wooldridge. On Tacy’s Facebook page he calls for support to Sam Carpenter.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
Two of the three Democratic Party candidates replied to the 2018 OAAVEP survey. Ed Jones – Yes to all 3 questions. Candace Neville – No to all 3 questions.
The incumbent Governor, Kate Brown (D), seeks re-election. She did not reply to questions in the OAAVEP survey.
As Governor, on April 4 of this year she announced that she will refuse to let Oregon National Guard troops be stationed at the U.S.-Mexico border, should President Trump seek to dispatch them there.
Brown served as Secretary of State before becoming Governor, and prior to that she was a member of the Legislature for several years. While in the Senate, in 2003 she sponsored SB 10 granting instate tuition to illegal aliens, which passed the Senate but not the House. In 2007 she voted for SB 424, a bill which had been gutted of the original text and filled with a prohibition against “state agency or program from expending funds to implement Real ID Act of 2005 unless federal funds are received by state to cover estimated costs and certain other conditions are met by Dept. of Transportation.” In 2008 she voted against SB 1080 requiring proof of citizenship to obtain driver license.
In 2015, HB 2177, the automatic voter registration bill, which makes voting by illegal aliens more likely, was introduced in the State Legislature at the request of Secretary of State Kate Brown. Also in 2015 she announced unlimited support for bringing refugees to Oregon, saying "Clearly, Oregon will continue to accept refugees. They seek safe haven and we will continue to open the doors of opportunity for them. The words on the Statue of Liberty apply in Oregon just as they do in every other state."
INDEPENDENT PARTY CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
Skye J. Allen replied to the OAAVEP questionnaire, saying Yes to question 22 (repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary law), and Yes to question 23 (requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon.) He said No to question 42 (requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status.)
Dan Pistore answers: 10. Yes. Let illegals stay, deport the criminals, close the gate, then everyone comes in the legal way. 23. Yes. Very strong on this - most states are lax. 42. Declined to answer.
House District 9 (Coos Bay)
There are 3 candidates in this race: 2 Democrats and 1 Republican. The incumbent Representative, Caddy McKeown (D) seeks reelection; her opponent in the primary is Mark Daily (D). The Republican candidate is Teri Grier.
Teri Grier, of North Bend, Republican candidate, had extensive experience in political work in Arizona and Washington DC before coming several years ago to Oregon.
In 2016, she replied to these questions related to immigration from the 2016 Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project’s survey:
19. Do you support restricting the "emergency clause" in legislation as true emergencies? Yes.
22. Do you support a constitutional amendment to require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in Oregon? Yes.
36. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee's work eligibility status? Yes.
She did not reply to the 2018 OAAVEP questionnaire. In the Issues section of her campaign website for the 2018 primary, she includes this paragraph which refers to Oregon’s sanctuary law:
SAFE COMMUNITIES
The Oregon Legislature recently voted to reduce the punishment for the possession of hard drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. On top of that, lawmakers reduced penalties for invasion of privacy crimes like property and identity theft. And to make matters even worse, Portland politicians led an effort to expand the state’s sanctuary state immigration policy.
As your voice in Salem, I’ll stand up for South Coast families by rejecting policies that put the safety and security of our communities at risk. Protecting our children and families will always be a priority for me.
Incumbent Rep. Caddy (Catherine) McKeown, of Coos Bay, is the nominee of the Democratic Party. She was first elected in November 2012 and is now running for a 4th term in the Legislature. Her voting record there follows that of the Democratic Party leadership which favors benefits for illegal aliens and lax enforcement of the immigration laws.
In 2018, she voted for HB 4111 giving driver licenses to a group of illegal aliens, in disregard for the citizens’ verdict in the 2014 Referendum rejecting driver licenses for illegal aliens.
In 2017, she voted for HB 3464, the Privacy for illegal aliens bill which shields illegal aliens from questions about their immigration status. Also she voted Yes in favor of SB 229, “relating to elections,” a bill which changed the process for initiatives enabling the Legislature to control the timing of the initiative, the ballot title and other features that take power away from voters and centralize it in the hands of legislative leadership. Further, she voted for SB 558, “Cover All Kids,” a bill extending tax-paid medical care coverage to children brought into the country illegally by their parents
In 2015 she voted for SB 932, which gave Oregon Opportunity Grants to illegal aliens. American citizens will now have to compete against illegal aliens for the limited Oregon State Opportunity Grants for college tuition assistance. In the same session, she also voted for House Bill 2177, which requires mandatory voter registration. Because of the passage of this bill, the state will use drivers’ license data to automatically register voters, making it much more likely that illegal aliens will be voting.
Earlier, in 2013, she voted in favor of SB 833, granting driver licenses to illegal aliens, and in favor of HB 2787, granting instate tuition to illegal aliens. In 2014 he voted in favor of HB 4054 which would have rewritten the ballot title for the Referendum on SB 833 to mislead voters about the Referendum. Fortunately, HB 4054 aroused such wide opposition throughout the state that the Senate dropped consideration of the bill, and it did not pass. Thus, the Referendum on which OFIR worked so hard kept its understandable ballot title, and SB 833, the bill giving driver licenses to illegal aliens was overturned by voters, despite efforts led by Democrats in the House and supported by Rep. McKeown, to thwart the Referendum.
Websites of the three candidates:
Mark Daily (D) - https://www.facebook.com/dailyfordistrict9/. No other website was found for Mr. Daily. He did not reply to the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project survey. His views on immigration are unknown.
Teri Grier (R) - https://www.terigrier.org/
Caddy McKeown (D) - http://caddymckeown.com/
House District 18 (Silverton, Aurora, Molalla, Mt. Angel, Sublimity)
In the May primary, there are 3 candidates in House District 18.
Doug L. Culver (D) faces Barry Shapiro (D) for the Democratic Party’s nomination. Culver replied to questions in the OAAVEP survey. Shapiro did not. Here are Culver’s answers:
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon's sanctuary state law? No.
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in Oregon? Yes.
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee's work eligibility status? Yes.
Culver maintains a Facebook page for his campaign at: https://www.facebook.com/culver4repdist18/.
The Republican Party candidate, incumbent Rep. Rick Lewis, has no opposition. He was appointed to the position in Feb. 2017 after the resignation of Rep. Vic Gilliam, and now seeks election. The biography on his Legislative website says:
Prior to joining the legislature, Lewis served as the Mayor of Silverton and as the Chief of Police for Silverton.
Rep. Lewis is a life member of the Oregon Association Chiefs of Police and served as the organization's President in 1991. In 2005, he took a six month leave of absence from the Silverton Police Department to teach the Executive Leadership Program for the Iraqi Police leadership during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
After spending three years in the United States Army and two years in the Wyoming National Guard, he graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice.
While in the Legislature in 2018 he voted No on HB 4111 the bill extending driving licenses to certain illegal aliens. In 2017 he voted No on SB 558, “Cover All Kids,” a bill extending Medicaid coverage to children brought into the country illegally by their parents, and No on HB 3464, the Privacy for illegal aliens bill which shields illegal aliens from questions about their immigration status. He also voted No on SB 229, “relating to elections,” a bill which changed the process for initiatives enabling the Legislature to control the timing of the initiative, the ballot title and other features that take power away from voters and centralize it in the hands of legislative leadership.
House District 19 (Salem, Aumsville, Turner)
There are 4 candidates in the primary, 3 Republicans and 1 Democrat. The incumbent, Rep. Denyc Nicole Boles (R), was appointed in January 2018 to complete the term of Rep. Jodi Hack (R), and Rep. Boles now seeks election. The 2 Republican challengers are Michael Hunter and Satya Chandragiri. The Democrat, who is unchallenged within the party and is the presumable nominee in November is Mike Ellison.
The only one of the 4 candidates who replied to the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project survey was Michael Hunter, who replied Yes to these questions:
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary state law? Yes.
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon? Yes.
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status? Yes.
Rep. Boles began serving in the House on January 24, 2018, and she voted No, along with all other Republicans present, on HB 4111, a bill giving driver licenses to a group of illegal aliens. The bill was passed on March 3 by questionable methods in the waning hours of the “short” session. Her campaign website does not mention immigration, and she did not reply to the OAAVEP survey.
These excerpts, below, from Rep. Boles’ campaign website give some insight into her thinking:
Agriculture
Agriculture is the heart and soul of Marion County. I grew up picking berries, working in the cannery, “putting up” peaches, strawberries, applesauce, and more, for the winter. When I was a college student in Seattle, I asked my employer where she got her strawberries. I was expecting directions to a local farm or even a farmers’ market. She looked at me blankly and said...Safeway. That’s when I began to realize the uniqueness of the place where I was raised. I believe we need to continue to support our family farms and help navigate the myriad of issues that affect them.
Safe Communities
Keeping our homes and families safe is a team effort. Providing a safe place for families to live, work and play is a primary function of the state government. Partnerships with key leaders and organizations in Marion County are important, and I have strong relationships and working understanding of projects and efforts that address public safety issues. If elected, I will advocate for adequate funding and work towards innovative solutions to make sure our communities remain safe.
Here are the websites of candidates in the HD 19 primary election. None of the websites includes discussion of immigration issues.
Denyc Nicole Boles (R) – http://www.vote4boles.com/portfolio/
Satya Chandragiri (R) – https://satyafororegon.com/
Michael Hunter (R) – https://hunterhousedistrict19.com/
Mike Ellison (D) – http://mikeellisonfororegon.com/
House District 20 (Independence, Monmouth, Salem, West Salem)
Rep. Paul Evans (D) seeks to win a third term in the Legislature. He has no opposition from within his party. There are 2 Republican challengers: Kevin S. Chambers and Selma Pierce.
Rep. Evans voted on several key bills related to immigration during his years in the State Legislature, creating a record of favoring illegal immigration. With other Democrats, he voted Yes on these bills:
2015 – SB 932, instate tuition for illegal aliens
2017 – SB 558, “Cover all kids,” a bill extending tax-paid health care to illegal alien children.
HB 3464, Privacy for illegal aliens, a bill which shields illegal aliens from questions about their immigration status.
SB 229, “relating to elections,” a bill which changed the process for initiatives enabling the Legislature to control the timing of the initiative, the ballot title and other features that take power away from voters and centralize it in the hands of legislative leadership.
2018 – HB 4111, the bill extending driver licenses to certain illegal aliens.
Only one of the 3 candidates replied to the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project survey: Kevin S. Chambers, of Monmouth. He replied Yes to all 3 OAAVEP questions:
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary state law? Yes.
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon? Yes.
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status? Yes.
The other Republican candidate is Selma Pierce, wife of Dr. Bud Pierce who ran for Governor in 2016, losing to Kate Brown.
Here are the websites of candidates in the HD 20 primary election. None of the websites includes discussion of current immigration issues.
Kevin Chambers (R) - https://kevinfororegon.com/
Selma Pierce (R) - https://selmapierce.com
Paul Evans (D) - http://www.paulevans.org/
House District 23 (parts of Benton, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties)
There are 3 candidates in the primary, 2 Republicans and 1 Democrat. The Republicans are incumbent Rep. Mike Nearman and challenger Kris Morse Bledsoe. The Democratic candidate is Danny Jaffer, who, being unopposed, presumably will also be the Democratic candidate in the November general election.
Rep. Mike Nearman is completing his second term in office. He is a member of the OFIR Board of Directors, and he staunchly supports immigration law enforcement. He completed the 2018 questionnaire of the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project. Here are the questions and his answers:
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary state law? Yes. Ha! I’m one of the chief petitioners on this initiative.
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon? Yes. Ha! I’m one of the chief petitioners on this initiative.
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status? Yes.
His campaign website’s Issues section also has a statement on immigration policy.
Challenger Kris Morse Bledsoe did not reply to the OAAVEP survey. Her website includes this statement on immigration:
Let me start this discussion by declaring up front that I love our immigrant neighbors. That is my bias.
We should be working on ways to help hard working undocumented workers have a path to citizenship. They play a key role in our economy. Our vineyards need them. Our vegetable and nursery farmers need them. They are honorable, skilled people who need to feel safe.
I support Oregon being a sanctuary state. I support the DACA young people who are already integrated in to our economy. We will all lose if they leave.
In January 2018 she organized the “Women of Yamhill County March,” staged to protest the election of President Donald Trump. On her campaign website is a blog, “Racism is not the path to greatness,” supporting amnesty for DACA registrants and showing no consideration for any validation of claims.
She has also written a more general article supporting illegal immigration, “So who do you think is taking your job?” published in the McMinnville News-Register, Aug. 22, 2014.
Websites of the candidates in House District 23:
Rep. Mike Nearman – http://nearmanfororegon.com/
Kris Morse Bledsoe – http://krismorsebledsoe.com/
Danny Jaffer – https://dannyjaffer.com/
Jaffer did not respond to the OAAVEP survey. His campaign website has an Issues section but there is no mention of immigration in it. Presumably he will follow Democratic Party leadership on immigration issues.
House District 26 (Sherwood, Wilsonville, King City, et al)
There are 3 candidates in the primary, 2 Republicans and 1 Democrat. The Republicans are incumbent Rep. A. Richard Vial and challenger Dan Laschober. The Democrat is Ryan Spiker. As of April 20, none of the three had replied to the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project survey.
The Republican challenger to incumbent Rep. Vial, Dan Laschober, spoke at OFIR’s April meeting, emphasizing how important the “rule of law” is to America and why our immigration laws should be enforced.
Rep. Vial is completing his first term as a legislator and seeks re-election. In July 2018 he was the only Republican in the Oregon House to vote in favor of HB 4111. HB 4111 gives an Oregon driver license to certain illegal aliens. Despite the fact that in 2014 Oregon voters overwhelmingly voted against giving driver cards to illegal aliens, in the 2018 session of the Legislature, Vial voted, along with all Democrats, for doing just that.
Earlier in the session, he had voted with most other Republicans against HB 3464, Privacy for illegal aliens, which protects aliens from questions about their immigration status. Also he voted against SB 558, “Cover All Kids,” which extended publicly financed health care to illegal alien children, and against SB 229, “relating to elections,” a bill that changes the process for initiatives, enabling the Legislature to control the timing of initiatives, the ballot title and other features that take power away from voters and centralize it in the hands of legislative leadership.
Websites of the candidates for Oregon House District 26:
Daniel Laschober (R) – http://danlaschober.com/
A. Richard Vial (R) - http://www.richvial.org/
Ryan Spiker (D) – http://www.ryanspiker.com. He is the only Democratic candidate, thus is expected to be the party’s nominee in the November general election.
Oregon Legislature – Senate – Candidates in 2018 Primary
Only half of the Oregon Senate will be on the ballot this November because Senators’ terms of office are 4 years.
Among candidates in the 2018 primary, three responded to the Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Survey: Curt Ankerberg (R) and Julian Bell (D) in Senate District 3, and Scott Rohte (R) in Senate District 4.
Below is a report on Senate District 3. Scroll down to see the report on Senate District 4 which follows District 3.
Senate District 3 (Ashland, Jacksonville, Medford, Phoenix, Talent)
The incumbent, Sen. Alan DeBoer (R), chose to retire; this is an open seat. In SD 3, there are 6 candidates running, 4 Democrats and 2 Republicans.
Two of the candidates for Senate District 3 replied to the OAAVEP survey: Curt Ankerberg (R) and Julian Bell (D).
Answers of Curt Ankerberg (R):
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary state law? Yes. The U.S. Attorney General should prosecute Kate Brown for intentionally violating U.S. immigration laws.
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon? Yes. Elections are more prone to fraud due to the motor voter laws, and thus we need more election security controls.
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status? Yes. Illegal aliens are a threat to our country. We need E-Verify to combat this problem.
Answers of Julian Bell (D):
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary state law? No.
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon? No. At the moment there is essentially zero voter fraud. I want more people voting not less. Make it easy.
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status? No. The E-Verify system doesn’t work.
The second Republican candidate in the primary is Jessica L. Gomez. The only indication found about her positions on immigration issues is this statement on her Facebook page:
“I have received many comments on Facebook regarding my positions on Sanctuary Cities, Abortion, and the Second Amendment. Each of these issues illicit strong emotions on both sides of the argument. First and foremost, my primary goal is to bring people together, not divide them. For this reason I feel that Facebook is not the right forum to have an in-depth conversation about these issues. I strongly encourage you to call me so that we can have an open honest discussion. 541-200-7016.”
When candidates will not speak publicly about immigration issues, even when asked, and there is no other evidence, voters are left wondering whether the candidate would support the repeal of ORS 181A.820 or any significant measures for stopping illegal immigration.
Websites of Candidates in Senate District 3
No website was found for Curt Ankerberg (R).
Jessica L. Gomez (R) website: www.Jessicafororegon.com
Julian Bell (D) – www.drjulianbell.com
Athena Goldberg (D) – www.athenagoldberg.com
Jeff Golden (D) – www.goldenforsenate.org
Kevin Stine (D) – www.kevinstine.com
The immigration positions of Athena Goldberg and Kevin Stine are unknown. No references to immigration were found on their websites. Julian Bell’s positions, as posted on the OAAVEP candidate website, are cited above.
The website of Jeff Golden (D), in its Social Justice section, includes several statements among which are scattered a few related to immigration policy:
“Do everything possible to end the atrocity of human trafficking along Interstate 5 and elsewhere, beginning with strong support for citizen groups who've taken the lead.”—"Oppose federal immigration enforcement activity that violates established law and internationally-recognized human rights.”—"Immigration brings new skills and ideas that strengthen our economy and culture. Diversity is an asset and inclusion is core to Oregon’s values.”
Senate District 4 (Cottage Grove, Oakland, Sutherlin, Eugene, Veneta, et al)
There are only 2 candidates for Senate District 4, incumbent Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D) who seeks re-election, and Republican Party challenger Scott Rohter.
Sen. Prozanski has been in the Legislature for many years and has a long voting record showing him to favor benefits for illegal aliens and lax enforcement of the immigration laws. He did not reply to the OAAVEP survey.
Scott Rohter’s answers:
10. Do you support the repeal of Oregon’s sanctuary state law? Yes.
23. Do you support an Oregon Constitutional amendment to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Oregon? Yes.
42. Do you support requiring all Oregon employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the employee’s work eligibility status? Yes.
Rohter maintains a website at http://www.lessgovisthebestgov.com/ and a Facebook page at: http://facebook.com/scott.rohter
The other 2 Presidential candidates are Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party, and Jill Stein, Green Party. NumbersUSA’s overall assessment of Gary Johnson is that he favors more foreign workers and champions less enforcement of immigration laws. Stein’s views also are assessed as favoring more foreign workers and less enforcement of immigration laws. See the NumbersUSA report for details about their immigration positions here.
Pierce said handling refugees used to be a private matter. He said the federal government didn’t seize control until the end of World War II. While he said it is now a federal matter, it was his opinion that Oregon could not handle any more right now. “The plight of the true refugees is God-awful,” Pierce said. “My heart goes out to them. But we can’t afford them.”
Alley said the plight of the refugees was close to his heart, as three of his grandparents were immigrants. “My heart bleeds for them,” he said. “But our number one priority is the safety of the people here,” he said.
This petition began more than a year ago, in March 2015, with filing of Initiative no.37, Citizen Workers and Legally Authorized Workers. The petition called for employers to use the free federal E-Verify program to verify the legal status of new hires. Verification of the legal status of workers is a necessary step in preserving job opportunities for citizens and legal immigrants.
2014 General Election
This section focuses on the 2014 primary election.
April 22, 2014
April 23, 2014
April 23, 2014
March 20, 2014, updated April 28, 2014
April 24, 2014
April 24, 2014
April 26, 2014