What I saw at the Ed Diehl announcement

By Jason Williams
Williams is writer, researcher and founder of Taxpayers Association of Oregon,

State Representative Ed Diehl said he had announcement to make, and I of course had to go since he was my fellow Chief Petitioner, along with State Senator Bruce Starr, to the gas tax referendum that made Oregon history just a few weeks ago.

I arrived early to a brewery in the small town of Stayton to find the place packed out.  Crowds spilled unto the street.  One lady in front of me arrived two hours early to get a seat.  People came on only 48 hours notice from across Oregon — 300 miles away. These supporters were not just fans, but hardcore, salt-of-the-earth volunteers. The guy next me to shared on how he personally gathered 1,000 signatures for the gas tax referendum.  The woman to my right was one of the Linn County petition captains who shared on how she and her volunteers would stand out in the rain for days collecting signatures.

Representative Ed Diehl announced he was running for Governor.   People were elated.   There was a common theme people shared on how they not only are excited for Diehl, they were also excited for Oregon.   Rep. Diehl played the critical role with the referendum in making the impossible into the possible.  That victory blew open the doors of people’s expectations and hopes for this state.  Things are changing in Oregon and people can feel it.