SD-7: Now it's the Lane County Commission's turn
Kari Chisholm
On Thursday night, Democratic precinct committee members in Senate District 7 met to consider candidates to replace Vicki Walker in the State Senate.
They were obligated to forward at least three choices to the Lane County Commission. Since there were only three candidates who applied, all three moved ahead.
The three are: Former State Rep. Bob Ackerman, State Rep. Chris Edwards, and computer tech Mark Callahan. From the Register-Guard:
“I want to come back into politics,” Ackerman told a gathering of Democratic Party precinct committee persons at a Eugene credit union office Thursday night. “I want to make a difference in the lives of Oregonians.”Ackerman told the Democratic faithful that he views Edwards as a colleague rather than an opponent, and said the two have taken a “unity pledge” to support whichever one is appointed to the seat and then seeks outright election in the 2010 general election.
Edwards said he’s up to the task of filling the “leadership vacuum” left by Walker.
“We need strong leadership that is willing and able to work with the opposition sometimes,” he said. “I have exhibited that kind of courage.” ...
Callahan’s background is in computers and he currently works in tech support for Symantec in Eugene. Despite his lack of political experience, he said he has followed local issues for several years and believes his leadership experience in the Boy Scouts would help him in public office.
According to the R-G, the Lane County Commission will interview candidates Tuesday and vote on Wednesday. In the unlikely event that they're unable to come to a decision, Governor Ted Kulongoski would make the choice (and he could choose anyone he wants.)
In the event that Rep. Edwards is selected, folks in his district would follow the same process to replace him. According to the R-G, candidates are already starting to line up:
[Lane Community College instructor Greg] Evans, a Democrat, said he was nearly certain that he would jump in the officially nonpartisan [Eugene city] council race, but he’s also considering whether to become a candidate for appointment to a seat in the state House of Representatives. ...If, for example, Rep. Chris Edwards, a Democrat who represents west Eugene in the 14th House District, is appointed by the Lane County Board of Commissioners to fill the rest of Walker’s term, Democratic leaders will have to find a replacement to fill Edwards’ House seat.
Evans said he was called on Wednesday by Lane County Democratic Party leaders who asked him to consider being a candidate. “It knocked me for a loop that they would ask me,” Evans said. “I felt that I would need to at least honor that request by considering it.”
Discuss.
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2:12 a.m.
Aug 3, '09
Full disclosure: My firm built Chris Edwards' campaign website, but I speak only for myself.
Aug 3, '09
If he were a team player, Edwards would keep his seat and let Ackerman take the Senate seat.
Aug 3, '09
Please not Ackerman!
In his three terms in the Legislature, he compiled a 65% average OLCV rating, by a large margin the worst of the Eugene delegation Democrats. In general, lobbyists found him impossible to have a meaningful conversation with as he would make snap judgments and dig in without getting information.
Aug 3, '09
Unity- that's absurd. Nobody has a special right to a political office.
Aug 3, '09
If he were a team player, Edwards would keep his seat and let Ackerman take the Senate seat.
Yeah! Doesn't Edwards know that he was only supposed to do the hard work of reclaiming the majority and then take a back seat to elder statesmen who didn't want to waste their time serving in the minority but now want a front seat in the majority?
Sheesh!
Aug 3, '09
Unity, seems to me a team player is one who will do a good job for Oregon and also work to keep his House seat Democratic. In the event that the commission picks Ackerman, a team player would abide by that decision and endorse him next year instead of entering a primary fight.
Asking Edwards to step aside for Ackerman just because...well, you didn't actually give a reason...is foolish. Who says Ackerman would have an easier time holding the Senate seat in 2010 (when the Republicans will no doubt trot out tired old Jim Torrey and a whole lot of money once again) than Edwards? Besides, Edwards, with his comparative youth, will have a better chance to rise in seniority over time, chair important committees, and get more things done for Oregon and Lane County.
Aug 3, '09
There should be a full, open competition for the seat. Our party is strengthened by acting in an open manner. The suggestion that someone should just "step aside for the good of the party" is antithetical to the good of the party. Democracy starts with a little d. Big D's should support that notion.
Aug 3, '09
We had a replacement process for our state senator back when he was elected to statewide office. Each of the 3 candidates chosen by the pct. people spoke with all the county comm. (district in parts of 2 counties, some members of both parties were county comm.) and then each gave a speech at the public meeting where the decision was then made by a public vote.
None of the candidates had ever held public office before. 3 very bright women. One gave a great speech but was the youngest and least experienced of the 3. One gave a good speech--for a party meeting--but partisan boilerplate struck some as out of touch with the composition of the county comm.
The third spoke of problems particular to the district and referenced discussions with the commissioners.
Third one was chosen by the county comm.
This is a case where legislators are competing against each other. Each has a legislative record. Comm. and citizens will have formed opinions about them.
Free and open process is the best way to handle this choice. Regardless of the debates here, it really is the county comm. who will make the final decision---and they have the right to do that.
Aug 4, '09
LT: and the winning applicant was Ann Lininger, of Clackamas County, yet? She is running to keep the seat, so support her campaign in 2010.
For Lane County: It is exciting news -- the commissioners should vote tomorrow. If Edwards does advance, we will have another opening, and maybe even another after that. While Ackerman would be competent, Edwards is more connected with the district now, and has done a great job marshaling support in the House for some key bills -- like field burning and the Metolius.
Who, then, would fill Edward's seat? Would we see some new faces in Salem, or in the local government? I am rather excited about the future in our city and county: it could be a turning point for us.
Aug 4, '09
"LT: and the winning applicant was Ann Lininger, of Clackamas County, yet? She is running to keep the seat, so support her campaign in 2010."
<h2>Sorry Rose, I was talking about late 1992 when Jim Hill was elected St. Treasurer and we had to replace our state senator. Winner was Catherine Webber.</h2>