Thursday evening’s debate in Portland will give gubernatorial candidates John Kitzhaber and Chris Dudley the first and possibly only opportunity to differentiate between their plans for Oregon against the back drop of the state’s most precarious economic situation in decades.
The two men’s campaigns have agreed to this single debate, so Thursday evening’s discussion is likely to be the only opportunity for voters to see the candidates in a televised showdown.
Democratic candidate John Kitzhaber is a former physician and was the governor of Oregon between 1995 and 2003. His campaign boasts considerable support from unions.
Republican candidate Chris Dudley is a former NBA center and has no experience in public office. His campaign has garnered strong support from the business community.
The Dudley campaign boasts a large fundraising lead over his opponent, reporting more than twice the contributions than the Kitzhaber campaign. According to the Secretary of State’s finance tracking website, ORESTAR, Dudley has raised about $5.3 million since last November and Kitzhaber has managed $2.5 million in over a year of fundraising.
The economy and job creation have been by far the most prominent issues of the race, with Oregon’s unemployment rate at 10.4 percent (nearly one percent above the national average) and the state attempting work with a $3.8 billion budget deficit.
“This campaign has been about the economy and I’m assuming we’ll hear more about that,” University senior Ellen Macomson said. “I would like to hear about the environment and obviously any issues concerning students.”
Macomson, a member of the University’s College Democrats who supports Democratic candidate Kitzhaber, said Kitzhaber had a more realistic vision for steering the state out of its economic woes.
“Dudley is saying he wants to cut taxes for lower-income Americans, while at the same time provide more scholarships to low-income students,” she said, “but if you cut taxes the money is not there.”
Macomson also voiced concern over University student’s lack of knowledge about issues and general ignorance toward developments in political races.
“So students in general are really focused on their studies, on their boyfriends and girlfriends, their fraternities and sororities, and sports,” she said, “it’s really hard to get them to care about politics. And it isn’t just students. We have an apathetic nation. We considered it a high to have 55 percent voter turnout (in the 2008 presidential election).”
Oregon Republican Party spokesperson Brandon Danz agreed that, in light of the major responsibilities Oregon’s next governor will be taking on, students should involve themselves in the political process.
“I think there’s a lot at stake here- the decisions that are made here could effect Oregon for the next eight, 10, 20 years,” he said. ” These voters may have just turned 18, but I encourage everyone who’s registered to vote to get out and vote. And if they haven’t registered, they should.”
Danz attributed Dudley’s substantial fundraising lead to the candidates ability to excite the electorate, as well as statewide nervousness about re-electing Kitzhaber.
“We’ve never had a candidate as exciting as Chris Dudley,” he said. “Kitzhaber is actively campaigning for a sales tax, actively campaigning to keep the highest capital gains tax rate in the country, which is really a disincentive for Oregon businesses. I think a lot of people are nervous.”
Craig Honeyman, the Legislative Director of the League of Oregon Cities, helped organize a forum last Saturday that all four of the candidates participated in. Honeyman drew a distinction between a “forum” and a “debate,” saying the forum was designed to elicit responses to specific concerns while avoiding crossfire between the candidates, a series of sound bites and “gotcha moments.”
“In a debate like you’re going to witness tomorrow the candidates may not know in advance what questions will be asked. Questions will be allowed from the audience and candidates can question each other and form rebuttals,” Honeyman said. “That’s typically what happens with these.”
Honeyman, whose son is a political science graduate student at the University, felt young people participating in elections could play a major role in improving the political processes and outcomes.
“I think students, as well as all other citizens, care about their communities and the general climate of the places they’ll be raising kids, ” he said. “To not be engaged, leaves it to the motivated few to dictate public policy. The more diversity of voice you have, the stronger the process.”
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