Sophomore Gregory McNeill is following the lead of his former ASUO Executive running mate Maco Stewart into a race for public office, but he’s taking his political aspirations one step further.
McNeill, who lost his bid for ASUO president, filed Wednesday as a candidate for the Oregon house’s 8th district Republican primary. Former ASUO vice presidential candidate Stewart is vying to represent Eugene City Council Ward 3.
Although McNeill and Stewart remain in contact, they won’t be campaigning together, McNeill said.
“We’re helping each other out, but we’re running separate campaigns,” he said.
McNeill is running unopposed in the primary, but he will face Democratic candidate Floyd Prozanski in the general election. Eighth district Republican incumbent Cedric Hayden is now running to represent the 7th district because of legislative redistricting this year.
At 21, McNeill is barely old enough to run for a seat in the state House of Representatives, which is a large part of the reason why he is doing it, he said. Younger representatives could do more to solve the problem of low voter turnout among 18- to 24-year-olds, he said.
“Students need a more prominent voice in the legislature,” he said.
A political science major, McNeill is the VP-Finance for Delta Upsilon fraternity. His past government experience includes three years’ involvement with the student government at North Marion High School in Aurora, Oregon. He also participated in the 1998 Boys State mock government conference.
McNeill’s platform will emphasize education. If elected, he said he would do things differently than other politicians who promise money for education in their campaigns, but once in office, budget money for schools that goes mainly toward administrative expenses.
“When people get elected, they budget money for schools … (but) it doesn’t actually make it to the teachers and the schools,” he said. “That’s something we’re going to strive to correct.”
If elected, McNeill said he plans to take a lighter class-load and distance education classes while the legislature is in session. He realizes some people may not take him as seriously because of his age, but he said he is up to the challenge.
“As a Republican in this area, it’s going to be a real uphill battle,” he said. “But I think we’re going to give Prozanski a run for his money.”