Maybe your idea of the ideal Oregon governor
is one of the men listed on the May 16 primary ballot.
Why would you give a hoot about Ben Westlund?
Here's one reason: because he's shaking up state politics when the need to
do so is critical and when no one else seems to have the guts.
Westlund is the Bend-area Republican turned Independent who entered the
gubernatorial race in February. As Democrats and Republicans barrel toward
the do or die of the primary this month, Westlund is still warming up for
the race he hopes to run later. That contest is dependent on the senator's
ability to qualify for the November ballot by gathering 18,364 voter
signatures by the end of August.
His efforts are complicated by a new Oregon law that prohibits anyone who
voted in a partisan primary from signing an independent's qualifying
petition. If you agree with those who say Westlund should be on the ballot,
make sure you understand this: Republican, Democrat or Independent, if you
vote on any issue or candidate in the primary election this month, you won't
be able to sign Westlund's petition.
If you feel strongly about a race on the primary ballot, you should vote.
But if you don't, you can help Westlund by signing one of his petitions
instead.
Here's what we see: dissatisfied Oregonians lusting for change and to live
again in a state that gets it right, whether the "it" in question is about
the Legislature's approach or the governor's leadership or land-use laws or
the revenue system or any of the dozen of other big issues that have
lingered now at least several years.
The major candidates in the major parties have pluses and minuses and
differences, no doubt. But Westlund is the only one stepping off the edge
into territory party faithful fear to tread: to new taxes, to universal
health care, to a truly across-the-aisle discussion about why partisan
politics here are so out of whack.
Why have Oregon politicians become so focused on the "potholes right in
front of us" when the road is full of gaping holes, he asks, and it's a good
question.
The jury's still out on whether Westlund would have a chance to win in
November if he were to qualify for the ballot. It's still out, frankly, on
whether he should.
But this much is obvious even before the primary winners are decided: The
discussion would be far more compelling with him in the mix in November than
it would be if he never had the chance to run.
