Posted on 10/16/2022 4:34:13 PM PDT by libh8er
Oregon's richest man said he would do whatever he could to end Democrats' 40-year hold on the state and prevent its nominee Tina Kotek winning the race to be the next governor.
Last week, Phil Knight, the billionaire co-founder of Nike, donated $1 million to Republican candidate Christine Drazan after bankrolling the campaign of an independent who has turned the election into a toss-up.
Analysts said his two-horse strategy suggested Knight was intent on keeping the Democrat out of the governor's mansion.
A swath of the electorate in this liberal state has turned on the outgoing Democratic governor, blaming her for woke policies that have allowed an explosion of crime, drug use and homelessness.
In a rare interview, Knight, 84, said he would do whatever it took to end the Democrat's stranglehold on power and described himself as 'an anti-Tina person.'
'One of the political cartoons after our legislative session had a person snorting cocaine out of a mountain of white,' he told the New York Times.
'It said, "Which of these is illegal in Oregon?" And the answer was the plastic straw.'
Before that, he had given $3.75 million to Betsy Johnson, running as an independent.
His money has turned the race into a close-fought contest.
Voters are flirting with electing the state's first Republican governor since 1982 -when Men at Work were at number one and the year Diet Coke was launched.
The most recent polls give Drazan a slight lead over Kotek, with Johnson, a former Democrat, attracting enough support to act as a significant spoiler.
A poll published on Wednesday by Clout Research, a GOP-linked firm, reported that Drazan held a five-point lead over Kotek.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I lived in Eugene when the first vote by mail with national ramifications was held. A special election to fill a vacant US Senate seat held by Republicans for 35 years. The favored candidate was Gordon Smith. Handsome young Republican. A family man with a thriving business that even hired union workers at union wages. Popular president of the Oregon State Senate. Leading into the night and waiting to celebrate at the end of the day. A funny thing happened on the way to the US Senate. An unattractive, junior Democrat Congressman who would become a lifelong politician salivated as votes from mail drop boxes poured in.
Ron Wyden was declared the winner by about 1600 votes. Disbelief. Utter shock. Gordon Smith’s concession statement was brutally frank.
Ron Wyden is still in the US Senate working on voter legislation for us. Smith won the next open Senate seat handily but he never had his heart in it.
We moved away over 20 years ago but we always found Oregon to be patriotic and fairly conservative except in Portland and Eugene. It would be so great to see the state clean up it’s act. I apologize for the lengthy comment,
Thank you for that time capsule story. You may remember Gordon Smith retired after his son committed suicide. For a long time, he was the only Republican Senator on the West Coast.
Yep...4 out of a group of 8 of my friends bought Idaho property in last 4 years...2 already moved...other 2 in planning to.
WOW!
This is definitely news. Who would have ever expected that the CEO of the most woke corporation would turn on the Rats.
…and Washington, my home state.
No more elitist party circuit for him.
ROTFL One political cartoon had a person snorting cocaine out of a mountain of white, then asked, “Which of these is illegal in Oregon?” And the answer was the plastic straw.
Is this an about face, or is it a conflicted policy?
I appreciate his intentions in this instance.
Nike was heavily involved in the woke movement in my
opinion**************************************
Having lived in Oregon as a child and then as an adult, I found I loved Oregon, especially areas like Coos Bay but then finding out how it has changed since I began working elsewhere...I was shocked at the attitude of “woke”. I often wonder if the “wokers” really understand the evil nature of their current passion? I think not as it is only the elite who will use woke to push their Democratic ideals....
I would love to return and in that wishing I will pray some strong person absolutely demolishes “Woke” and the people who pushing Woke.
Must have had his, “Come to Christ Moment!”, thus his conversion. Only God’s hand could cause a China loving socialist to embrace America First going forward.
Of course, Cokan, err ah Conan would have it;)
I agree with you.
A lot of California’s Lefties have moved up to Oregon and
Washington over the last 50 years.
Even back in the 70s - 90s I read a lot about folks up
there being chagrined at the drift Leftward.
It’s why I never really considered Oregon to be a place
I wanted to live. I’m sure there are nice places too.
I live in Leftist Nutjob central, and when I move out of
the region, I’m not moving into another Nutjob region.
A lot of the Wokers these days, have been propagandized
since early childhood. They don’t have the information
for them to challenge themselves about what they believe.
It’s a bad situation. Our next generation is not capable
of leading a family, let alone a city, a state, or the
nation.
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