TORREY VS.
WALKER
Pro-Bush, anti-abortion Republican takes on state senator.
By Alan Pittman
The race between incumbent Democrat Vicki Walker and
Republican challenger Jim Torrey for state Senate District 7 will
be one of the fiercest fought in Oregon, political watchers predict.
Already Torrey, the former mayor of Eugene, has raised a war
chest of more than $110,000, largely from his developer, logging
and big business backers. Walker has reported raising $150,000,
and is backed by labor and environmental groups.
MONEY
Torrey, a retired billboard advertising
executive, reported $110,679 in contribu-
tions through June 14.
Eugene timber baron and land specula-
tor Aaron Jones is Torrey’s biggest backer
with a $15,000 contribution. Jones is one
of the state and national Republican
Party’s biggest money men, having given
tens of thousands of dollars over the years.
Jones has also given big money to anti-
environmental causes. He gave about a
third of the money, $243,000, that was
used to pass Measure 37, which forces tax-
payers to pay developers or waive regula-
tions.
Other big Torrey donors include
Associated Oregon Loggers ($10,000),
three $1,000 checks from local gravel pit
companies.
Walker, a court stenographer, reported
raising $149,774 for her re-election cam-
paign. The Senate Democratic Leadership
Fund gave Walker $22,207, the Oregon
Trial Lawyers Association $17,350, the
Oregon Education Association $16,284
and the Oregon Public Employees Union
$14,473.
Both Torrey and Walker are expected to
report much higher contributions in later
filings, with some predicting record-
breaking campaign spending.
Torrey was elected mayor with record-
breaking contributions from development,
land speculator, and anti-environmental
special interests, many of whom are back-
Besides money, the biggest deciding issue in the race for the
north Eugene seat could be political party. Running in a district
with a substantial Democratic edge in party affiliation, Torrey
portrays himself as nonpartisan, even though he’s a staunch sup-
porter of George Bush and an opponent of abortion rights.
Other big issues are the candidates’ records, school finance and
corporate welfare.
PARTY
Senate District 7, stretching north and
west from 11th Avenue to include Bethel,
River Road/Santa Clara, Junction City and
Harrisburg, has a significant edge in
Democratic voters.
With that demographic, Torrey isn’t
advertising his Republican party identifi-
cation in his campaign materials.
“Unlike my opponent, I’m not afraid of
my political party,” Walker said at a recent
candidate forum. “I’m in the Democratic
Party because I support those core values.”
At the forum, Torrey tried to distance
himself from Republican Party platform
positions against Head Start and preschool
funding for children, and for eliminating the
U.S. and Oregon Departments of Education.
One of Torrey’s many TV ads attacks
Walker for excessive partisanship. The
cartoon ad depicts Walker as a frowning
frumpy woman stuck in a “partisan box,”
while Torrey, depicted as a smiling, slim
young man with wavy hair, “leaves party
politics at the door.”
REPUBLICAN RECORD
But as the controversial mayor of
Eugene, Torrey was a fierce partisan in
support of pro-development, anti-environ-
mental interests.
Just before an election in 2000, Torrey
was talking more about train wrecks than
bridge building. Torrey lashed out on the
front page of The Register-Guard at the
Torrey is a strong backer of President Bush, contributing $2,000
to his 2004 re-election campaign, the maximum donation allowed.
Associated Oregon Industries ($8,600),
the Oregon Republican Party ($5,000),
Oregon Senate Republican leader and
timber lobbyist Ted Ferrioli ($5,000)
and
Freres
Lumber
Company
($2,500). More big money comes in
14 SEPTEMBER 21, 2006
ing his current campaign. When he consid-
ered a write-in campaign for mayor in
2004 after the candidate he backed lost,
Torrey said he could raise up to a quarter
million dollars from his backers in 10
weeks.
But Torrey is a strong backer of
President Bush, contributing $2,000 to his
2004 re-election campaign, the maximum
donation allowed. Torrey praised Bush’s
recent State of the Union address and
pledged support for Bush’s Iraq War.
possibility of a progressive majority on the
City Council. He said he and other pro-
developer councilors would clash with
environmental councilors in a “train wreck”
that would make it “practically impossible
for any meaningful discussion.”