Sen. Boquist: Something different happened in Primary

By Oregon State Senator Brian Boquist,
Highlights, excerpts from Sen. Boquist newsletter

— Something different happened in Oregon during the primaries. There were a couple of districts that the big money lobby machines had tried to sway one way, but ultimately, Oregon voters were not to be deterred from their chosen candidates, candidates who were not in line with the big money donors. While this same big money status typically triumphs in national news media headlines, Oregon voters can see disingenuous actors. Like when Sen. Boquist won his case for free speech last summer, the fact that the Democrat machine turned on former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan for her side hustles that bureaucrats have profited from for decades, that Sam Bankman-Fried bankrolled candidates could not find success here, and that while the OLCC dropped any criminal charges for the scandalous booze running – Oregonians know about the “quid pro quo” – there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic in Oregon.

— Gov. Kotek walked back her plan to expand her wife’s role (and salary) in the administration amidst intense backlash. She might move in the shadows instead – we’ll see.

— POLITICO: Centrist challenger ousts progressive DA in Oregon – Mike Schmidt is OUT. Will the new DA hold criminals accountable? Only time will tell.

— Oregon Capital Chronicle: Two Oregon House Republicans lose primaries. Drazan is back and so is McLane.

— This is embarrassing. Oregon Catalyst reports that the $350k election mascot “Blobby” didn’t do anything to increase voter turnout. Honestly – what kind of name is Blobby? Cover Oregon vibes, anyone?

— Crook County has become the 13^th Oregon county to approve joining the Greater Idaho movement. This is a big deal – while it would require action by Congress, which moves slower than a sloth, there are now 13 out of the 36 counties in Oregon that want to leave the state and the problems that come with Portland. The Oregon media has tried to ignore the Greater Idaho movement and paint it as extremists, but just like in the tortoise and the hare fable, the movement is slowly adding counties who are on board with the concept, undermining the media’s attempt to discredit the movement because as years go by, counties continue to vote to join. It’s happening in other states too. People are disenfranchised with big cities controlling the rest of the state (hello, urban/rural divide) and are doing something about it – with their votes.Sen. Boquist:

— Even the violence in Portland is focused at PSU, for the time being. The PSU police chief was recently hospitalized amidst campus protests for Palestine and arrests; rioters blocked the ambulance.By national election time, the city will sadly probably transform.

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