A12 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
EASTERN OREGON ECONOMIC SUMMIT
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2022
Yasser Marte/Hermiston Herald
Oregon gubernatorial candidates, from left, Tina Kotek, Christine Drazan (via video) and Betsy Johnson address the Eastern Oregon Economic Summit in Hermiston on Friday, June 17, 2022.
Candidates for governor address potential voters
BY ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Herald
Oregon’s three gubernatorial candi-
dates took the stage Friday, June 17, at
the Eastern Oregon Economic Sum-
mit in Hermiston and spoke of lessons
from the pandemic, crossing the urban/
rural divide and how they would make
the state better.
Tina Kotek, Democrat, and Betsy
Johnson, unaffiliated, were in person,
while Republican Christine Drazan ap-
peared via prerecorded video. The trio
shared the spotlight on the second day
of the conference and answered the
same set of questions.
WHY RUN FOR GOVERNOR?
Kotek, speaker of the Oregon House
of Representatives, 2013-22, spoke of
her parents. They were immigrants, she
said, who taught her values including
thriftiness and giving back to society.
The Democratic nominee also men-
tioned her sports background.
“I want to be your team captain,” she
said.
Having moved to the state in 1987,
she fell in love with it right away, she
said. She liked the look of Oregon, and
loved the potential.
In the years that followed, she
worked for the Oregon Food Bank. As
such, she said, she traveled to all parts
of the state and got to know people
throughout.
Since then, working in the state
House, she made an effort to identify
and solve problems, she said.
Drazan, Oregon representative from
Canby 2019-22, said she is motivated by
values taught to her in her childhood.
The Republican nominee said she
was taught in her youth that politicians
mattered, but they frequently made
things worse for their constituents.
When she started working in govern-
ment, she said, she wanted to shoulder
the burdens of other people. As she did
so, she discovered that serving under
Democratic rule was not altogether great.
“Single-party control has led to us
being on the wrong course,” she said.
She added she wants to restore bal-
ance, thereby returning government to
the people.
“We have the opportunity for
change,” she said.
She said her opponents had their
chance, but they are the ones who are
responsible for getting us “to where we
are” now.
Johnson served as an Oregon state
senator 2005-21 and a state representa-
tive before that and ran as a Democrat.
But her bid to take Mahonia Hall has
her running an unaffiliated campaign.
“I’m going to be on your side,” she said.
Johnson said Gov. Kate Brown has
taken the state in the wrong direction,
and voting for Kotek would be “vali-
dating the status quo,” and that would
make things even worse.
Johnson spoke of often finding her-
self at odds with her party and annoy-
ing her colleagues. She said Oregon
needs more moderates in government,
and she wants to be governor so she can
employ ideas from both major parties.
WHAT IS THERE TO DO ABOUT THE
URBAN/RURAL DIVIDE?
Addressing the separation between
people in bigger and smaller cities,
Kotek praised the Economic Summit as
“a good start” to solving the problem.
“It’s nice to be back here in Hermis-
ton,” she said.
Kotek said having legislators and
politicians visit places away from their
homes helps them build relationships.
And through those relationships, they
can push forward on topics such as
wildfire recovery, which needs popular
support.
Drazan said this election is giving ru-
ral people an opportunity for respect.
In decisions, as with ones relating to
COVID-19, state government has given
the state a Portland-centric approach.
Johnson spoke of her own history
with flying fellow legislators to Eastern
Oregon.
“This is not a stop,” she said.
By bringing people in government
to this side of the state, she said, she is
able to educate them on the values and
needs here.
WHAT ABOUT THE PANDEMIC AND
HEALTH CARE?
The candidates weighed in on the
state’s response to the coronavirus pan-
demic and what they might have done
differently as governor.
Kotek said there are some import-
ant lessons to draw from the pandemic.
There were good things about the re-
sponse, she said. For instance, the state
deserves credit for organizing personal
protective equipment. There were,
however, problems, including com-
munication, she said. Joblessness and
people having trouble with rents were
other trouble spots relating to the coro-
navirus.
Drazan said Oregon, under Brown,
led with fear. According to Drazan, the
governor told people that bad things
would happen if they didn’t do what
they were told.
“I will lead with facts and not fear,”
she said.
She stated there will be wildfires and
droughts and problems, but as gover-
nor she would empower local commu-
nities to do what is right for them and
to solve their problems.
Johnson said Oregon should have
trusted its people. The mandates
were, she said, “heavy handed.” Often,
she said, decisions were made without
the consult of affected people. Also,
the system needs an “overhaul,” she
said, so we can know who is respon-
sible for decisions and hold them ac-
countable.
All three candidates praised Oregon’s
system of coordinated care organiza-
tions, though Drazan stated the system
needed protection from becoming “a
shadow of its former self.”
HOW WILL YOU KNOW YOU WERE A
GOOD GOVERNOR?
For the final question, each candidate
addressed what she wanted to accom-
plish and how they would know they
were successful after being governor.
Kotek said she would like to be re-
membered for bringing people together
to solve problems, including the need
for more housing.
Drazan stated she wants to be the
person who cleans up the “mess” Or-
egon is in now and keep people from
wanting to leave.
Johnson said she wants to be the per-
son who makes the state less divided
and more unified.
Also, she said, she wants to solve
homelessness throughout the state, re-
duce crime and make Oregon more af-
fordable. She spoke of the state’s need to
address its housing supply problem and
restore respect to business.
She added she wants to restore the
“maverick spirit” of Oregon. Bold, new
leadership that seeks the middle of our
political divide is key to rejuvenating
the “Oregon mojo,” she said.
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