Betsy Johnson shares why she believes voters should elect her as governor of Oregon
Oregon independent gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson said voters care more about having someone in office who will fight for them than who is a Republican or Democrat.
Oregon is a mess. For the past decade, Gov. Kate Brown and House Speaker Tina Kotek have pushed through a failed, far-left agenda that has left our beautiful state in the ditch. A growing homeless crisis. Rising crime and violence. Failing schools. A soaring cost of living. Today, our state is more divided than ever before with eight counties actually voting to leave the Oregon family for Idaho. We need big, bold change.
I’m running for governor to put the people back in charge of their government. I’m not running as a Democrat or as a Republican. I’m running as an Oregonian – loyal only to the people, not the entrenched partisan interests in Salem. You don’t have to leave your party to support me, you only have to want a better Oregon.
The two parties, dominated by their ideological extremes, would rather fight than find common ground. As Oregon’s independent governor, I will take the best ideas and best people from both parties to move us forward. Imagine a governor who would demand bipartisan support for legislation, budgets, and appointments to force the two sides to work together for Oregon. No longer will one-party run rough-shod over the other. Diverse voices will be included – no matter your politics or zip code.
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Betsy Johnson, who is running for governor of Oregon as an unaffiliated candidate, listens to outraged residents during a roundtable discussion Sept. 29, 2022, in Portland, Oregon. (Hannah Ray Lambert/Fox News)
For me, leading independently is more than a talking point. During my service in the legislature, I frequently took on my own party to support jobs, law enforcement and common-sense taxation, spending and regulation. One Republican legislator regularly referred to me as a "BFD" – business friendly Democrat. In this campaign, I’ve been endorsed by former Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski and former Republican U.S. Senator Gordon Smith – along with the former chairs of the state Republican and Democrat parties. As former elected officials, they know this state is in trouble if we don’t do something to stop the endless, unproductive partisan fighting.
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The next governor has a long to-do list to clean up the problems created by our inability to move Oregon forward.
- Safety – I will not tolerate rising crime, violence, or lawlessness. I will not defund or demonize our police. I will work to repeal the failed experiment to legalize hard drugs. I will end Kate Brown’s policy of releasing violent criminals from state prisons. I will not disarm law-abiding citizens but will do more to keep guns away from criminals, crazies, and kids – with a stronger background check and raising the age to purchase certain guns. I will boost funding for state police, training centers and crime labs. More than 90 law enforcement professionals and groups have endorsed my campaign because they trust me – and I trust them. I am the only candidate with such broad-based support from law enforcement.
Police use chemical irritants and crowd control munitions to disperse protesters during a demonstration in Portland, Ore. (AP)
- Education – Oregon schools continue to shortchange too many kids. Extended COVID school closures were a mistake. Gutting graduation requirements for reading, writing and math was wrong. I will restore academic standards and will require accountability for spending and student achievement. I will listen to parents and teachers and respect local control of education decisions. I believe our schools should educate, not indoctrinate. I will ensure that every Oregon child gets a quality education and fair shot at success. The teachers’ unions are doing everything they can to stop my campaign because they know I will put the needs of kids, families, and classroom teachers ahead of union politics.
Little girl and her older sister student in a protective medical masks chooses school stationery in a store. Preparing for school. Prevention of coronavirus. Back to school shopping. (iStock)
- Affordability – Oregon has become too expensive for everyone but the well off. I will lead to build more housing to reduce the cost of housing. We need to get politicians out of the way so homebuilders can build enough housing for people of all income levels. I will stop new taxes and fees that drive up the cost of everything from energy, housing, gasoline, health insurance to hunting, fishing and boating licenses.
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- Jobs – Oregon needs to stop taking jobs and job creators for granted – whether you’re Intel or Nike or any logger, millworker, farmer, rancher, or fisherman. Whether you make wood chips, cow chips, computer chips, potato chips or fish and chips, I’ll get government off your back and out of your wallet.
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At my age, I may seem an improbable leader to shake-up a broken system and an imperfect agent of big, bold change. But that is exactly what I am and who I am. Even more, I am a fed-up daughter of Oregon who refuses to give up on the state I love without one hell of fight. Join me. Together, we can recapture our maverick, independent spirit, put the people back in charge and rescue our beautiful state. If it can happen anywhere, I know it can happen here in Oregon.
Fox News Digital has also invited Tina Kotek and Christine Drazan to submit opeds about why voters should elect them as governor of Oregon.