A Punch from the Left

By Vicki Dunaway of Florence, Oregon. Vicki retired from USPS last year, but just can't sit back and relax.

Recently I received an email from National Popular Vote (NPV), which I am subscribed to, and whose plan for overriding the Electoral College through a multi-state pact I support. The email from NPV’s founder urged voting for Greg Warnock, who is opposing Senate President Peter Courtney, the 11th District Democrat who has blocked the Oregon Senate from voting on NPV at least three times.

I am not in Courtney’s district and so wouldn’t have the option to vote for Warnock, but it’s interesting to me that Warnock, a Republican, would use the National Popular Vote issue to run against Courtney. Warnock has received campaign funds from NPV (as did Courtney’s Democratic opponent in the primaries). Clearly the NPV support is aimed at ousting Courtney.

On the issue page of his website, Warnock espouses typically vague Republican talking points, so I’m pretty sure that supporting NPV doesn’t make him some sort of rogue progressive Republican. To me, this appears to be another sneaky attack from the right, co-opting an issue that liberals and progressives care about, in hopes of claiming another seat in our legislature.

Although it may very well be time for Courtney to be replaced by someone who is younger and more progressive, Democratic voters must be wary of (once again) throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Courtney has a solid voting record on the Blue side. Rather than replacing him with a Republican, based on a single or a few issues, Courtney’s constituents who are displeased with some of his positions should be strategic, vote for him and then hound him mercilessly to do the right thing.

Sept. 25, 2018 Posted in guest column.