John Kitzhaber was an emergency room physician for 14 years, a legislator in the Oregon House of Representatives and Senate, president of the state Senate for four terms and the governor of Oregon for two terms — and he still isn’t ready to quit.
In early September, Kitzhaber, known for his bright ties and blue jeans, announced his intent to run for a third term as governor.
This announcement came as a surprise to the majority of the state, as the former governor from 1995-2003 had made no signs of wanting to join the race. The news led fellow Democrat Brian Clem to drop out of the race and to join Kitzhaber’s campaign.
This left Bill Bradbury, former Secretary of State and known friend of Kitzhaber, the only other Democrat currently running against Kitzhaber for the May 2010 nomination election.
Nonetheless, Kitzhaber has no hard feelings toward his old friend.
“Governor Kitzhaber is committed to running a positive, issue-oriented campaign and he has nothing but complimentary things to say about Bill,” Kitzhaber’s campaign manager Derek Humphrey said.
What spurred this progressive Oregonian to seek another term in Salem?
Kitzhaber’s goals lie behind a motto in tandem with another recently elected leader: change.
Known for initiating the ground-breaking Oregon Health Plan and expanding the number of people covered by health care, Kitzhaber believes that the state’s current economic and health care problems need to be reevaluated.
In a written statement explaining his choice to join the gubernatorial race, Kitzhaber illustrated his goals.
“I am running for governor because we need to fundamentally change how we engage with one another to solve our shared problems,” Kitzhaber wrote. “I bring to this a set of experiences, perspectives and ideas that can help during this time of crisis.”
He continued to add: “what we are doing now simply is not working.”
State Sen. Mark Hass, one of the many political figures endorsing Kitzhaber’s campaign, said that what Kitzhaber has achieved post-governorship is reason enough to stand behind him.
“Most former governors hit the golf course or lecture circuit,” Hass said, “but Kitzhber has been constantly engaged in public policy.”
Since 2003, Kitzhaber has led Portland’s Center for Evidence-Based Policy and initiated the Archimedes Movement, an organization aiming to “create a new space for civic engagement outside of our traditional legislative and governance structures,” in 2006.
Hass first met Kitzhaber as a reporter in Eugene, interviewing the young legislator. His history with the former governor has led to Hass’ support of Kitzhaber’s campaign.
“I have followed his career, and worked with him on many controversial and revolutionary projects, such as the Oregon Plan for and the Oregon Health Plan,” Hass said. “The way he approached these previous initiatives could be applied to other future areas he tackles as governor.”
Hass added that he has already been working with Kitzhaber to form a new funding model for K-12 education.
While Oregonians admire his past accomplishments, many Republicans and Democrats alike remain wary of his leadership tactics under pressure. Kitzhaber ended his final term as governor, calling the state “ungovernable” due to the high ratio of Republican legislators in rough economic times. Skeptics believe Kitzhaber could become easily frustrated, as the state is again in economic strife.
“Kitzhaber was put in a tough situation in his second term,” said Ryan McCarrel, president of the University’s College Democrats. “He not only was clashing with the
Republican-heavy state legislature, but was working under a Republican president.”
McCarrel, while confident that Kitzhaber will do a good job if elected as governor, urges Democrat voters to evaluate both candidates running for nomination.
“The questions voters need to ask themselves is whether they want a candidate with strong environmental beliefs, such as Bradbury, or strong health care and education beliefs, like Kitzhaber,” McCarrel said.
The Republican and Democratic Oregon gubernatorial primaries will take place May 18, followed by the gubernatorial election on Nov. 2.
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Kitzhaber’s plan for third run as governor met with questions
Daily Emerald
December 3, 2009
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