Yeah right. There are darn plenty of exceptions to that, and right here in Oregon we have our share. Mannix is one of them. Since the Republican takeover that started in '94 and delivered us a full Republican legislature in '96, we have seen the biggest increases in state spending in Oregon history, and those successive legislatures have dug us into a hole that seemingly has no escape.
Oregon is not at war and our state issues have absolutely nothing to do with the national ones, where Republican control is essential to deliver on the important national security issues. So to heck with party unity. As far as I'm concerned, voting for a proven RINO is no different than voting for a Democrat. I have wasted enough votes on such bozos and I am done with them. A candidate who does not pledge to CUT spending and SHRINK government will not get my vote. At the state level, we need nothing less than that at this time and I will support nothing less, and if no so-called Republican has the cajones to stand up and say what needs to be said, they won't get my vote. I know Mannix won't be on the right side, probably not Saxton either. What Atkinson really stands for remains to be seen.
And yes when I say cut I mean CUT, not just a slowdown in increases. And that includes public schools.
Alas, you're going to be hard-pressed to find many Conservative Republicans who will cut spending and shrink government in the manner in which you describe. Even many who may have established such a record in OTHER jobs jump the shark once they become Governor (I've seen countless flame-out jobs in that office who came in with such high hopes). Unless you have a situation where your population is shrinking, cutting back is almost an impossible task (not that it isn't a worthy goal in many areas). You've already said that Mannix was a part of the problem, Saxton (being a liberal RINO) DEFINITELY is, and it may be that Atkinson himself (being a member of the legislature since 1999) is compromised as well. Whether we like it or not, cutting the size and scope of government is way on the GOP backburner these days... if not completely off the stove and back in the closet.
Atkinson didnt raise taxes once as a senator. Gets a 0% from the pro-"choice" group.