Republican Governors Speak Up

The Westside Republican Meet Up this Sunday was larger than normal. Usually we have fifteen to twenty people at the meeting, but as I walked into the meeting room, it was packed, every seat was taken and a few people were standing in the back.

This meeting was different, this month we had four candidates for Governor, along with a couple of people running for county offices. This is going to be my impression about the candidates for Governor who spoke at this event.

Bruce Cuff: The Underdog Preacher

When Bruce first got up to speak the impression I got was that he seemed like a very friendly approachable man. This impression was not lost when he started to speak.

He spoke about resource management and the poor performance of Oregon’s school system. He said all the right things and made a lot of sense on issues like immigration.

Unfortunately he was not very memorable, more like that person you like and enjoy talking to when you meet them, but forget about when they are not around.

Looking at his website he stands for a lot of things that are important to a lot of Republicans but he did not seem like he was ready to take the state.

Knute Buehler: The Moderate

The first thing I noticed about Knute Buehler is that he seemed incredibly comfortable in front of the crowd. He spoke clearly and appeared much more polished. He also has experience in public office, representing Bend since 2015 as a Republican.

He held a more moderate stance and spoke a lot about working together with the Democrats to put Oregon on the right path. He seemed to want to bring more of a balance to the politics in Oregon.

I had mixed feelings about this, on the one hand I would agree with what he said, we do need more balance. Yet on the other he seemed too eager to engage with the Democrats, something that might be exploited or turn away Republican voters.

At the end of the day he had the look, feel, and sound of someone who would be an effective leader.

Greg Wooldridge: The Boss

Greg Wooldridge has leadership experience, being the squad leader for the Blue Angels, where he was nicknamed ‘Boss’. He has experience with teams that have had problems and he has been able to turn them around.

When he was speaking he seemed incredibly comfortable, even when he made a mistake in remembering a word. He played it off well but he did not seem as polished as Buehler. It is clear that he truly has a deep love for the state of Oregon and wants to move it in the correct direction.

Yet his late entry into the race has left him a little behind the other candidates. He did not seem to have everything ready at this time, but it did not come across as incompetence.

He did point out several problems he sees with Oregon that he believes he can fix and from his speech he seems to be confident in his ability to do so.

Sam Carpenter: The Oregon Trump

When I first arrived I found an open seat and quickly claimed it. No one occupied the chairs next to me but I was told they were already taken. Little did I know that I was sitting next to Sam Carpenter.

Sam is a business man through and through, which he quickly pointed out in his speech. He was the only candidate who seemed as if he was ready for a fight. He was tired of Progressives running the state and wanted to Make Oregon Great Again.

He did not shy away from the fight and, along with his slogan, seemed to be the Oregon Trump. He wants to put Oregon first and take care of Oregonians first.

He was not polished, he was direct, he was not mild mannered, he was passionate, he was not a politician, he was all business.

I got a chance to talk with him afterward and listen to a few questions other asked him. He did not know all the little details of each issue, but he was confident in his ability to surround himself with competent people he could trust.

Personal Criticism

The first thing I noticed was that the room was full of older people. Older people have experience and the wisdom of life, so this is not an attack on old people. Instead it led to a sense that the party is not getting young people on board.

Now is the time, young people are energized and looking to take part in the world. Missing this chance to show young people that there is something more than the endless screaming of rights and oppression the left has fed them for 40 years.

Whichever candidate can reach young people will be the one with the best shot at winning the state.

It was said a few times that while we can battle it out in the primary but that once we select a candidate we need to come together. This is very true, sitting on the sideline and refusing to vote because you are mad that your guy did not win is not the correct way to act.

No matter how much you do not like or agree with the Republican candidate, the Democrat candidate will be far worse. They will not care about you because they do not need your vote to win, they just need you to not vote.