This November, I hope to vote for Betsy Johnson to become Oregon’s next Governor. I say “hope” because she needs our help to get on the ballot. Running as an unaffiliated candidate, without an “R” or “D” behind her name, Betsy must collect at least 25,000 valid signatures by August 15th to even have a chance to run against the republican and democrat candidates. If you are a registered voter in Oregon, you can go to https://www.runbetsyrun.com/ to sign a petition.
As a registered Independent, I will vote for Betsy because she is not one to toe a party line but instead puts the interests of her constituents first and foremost. She works across party lines as a pragmatic consensus builder to get things done. As a member of the bi-partisan coastal caucus, Betsy worked with republicans and democrats to support state legislation that made sense for the region, not for one political party over another.
Having worked with Betsy on projects related to our business, transportation and economic development issues, I can tell you she shows up and follows up – often with a personal phone call. In my experience, when asked for help with a specific issue, Betsy invites all the relevant parties to meet and find common ground with the best outcomes for everyone involved. She is not afraid to “tell it like it is” when a certain policy does not make sense or is not serving the best interests of Oregonians. She holds everyone to a higher standard and makes quick work of it.
While I do not agree with Betsy on every issue or stance, I respect her work ethic, honesty and intellect. This leadership style is refreshing and vitally important if we want to meaningfully address the upstream drivers of the challenges we face in Oregon and across the U.S.
If you’d like to join Tillamook County’s Betsy Brigade, come to the 4-H Dorm on July 14th at 6 PM or contact Jerry Dove at jdovetillanglers@gmail.com.
Michelle Jenck
Tillamook, OR
