By Walter Scott Bartlett
Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to have our local voice in Congress be a conservative Republican — opposed to our values and priorities?
Well, I have! Back in 1966, during the first national congressional election embroiled over stopping the disastrous Vietnam War, as a 20-something UO student I devoted hundreds of hours and miles on behalf of Progressive Democratic candidate Charles O. Porter’s quest to be our voice for peace and sanity. Porter lost to Republican John Dellenback who held the seat for eight tumultuous years — voting for endless war appropriations and escalation of disaster.
Now, we may have deja vu all over again. In a May 9 candidate ad piece in the Roseburg News-Review, we read: “I’m Monique DeSpain, a Republican running to end 50 years of failed, self-serving career politicians representing the 4th District of Oregon.”
The great and legendary Congressman Peter DeFazio and his outstanding and heroic predecessor Jim Weaver? “Failed”? “Self-serving,” she writes.
DeFazio served us for 36 productive years, and ranks as one of Oregon’s most successful and nationally respected members. His legacy abounds all over southwest Oregon. Hundreds of millions of dollars for ports, bridges, higher ed, local communities.
Rep. Jim Weaver served from 1975-87 and added French Pete to the Three Sisters Wilderness Act, the Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984, the Coos, Lower Umpqua and the Siuslaw (tribal) Restoration Act. Weaver and DeFazio were truly loved and devotedly served us in Congress.
DeSpain has absolutely no experience or demonstrable knowledge of the legislative process and no record of local citizen service on boards or commissions. Further, she now falsely implies that she is pro-choice. Nothing could be further from the truth. DeSpain has said that she is “very pleased” with the overturning of Roe v. Wade (the Dobbs decision). She also is the standard bearer for the ultra rightwing Oregon Constitution Party (notus.org) and its ultra MAGA misogynist agenda.
Yes, DeSpain is right — you do deserve the truth about her real agenda. It ain’t worthy of our support!
Scott Bartlett has been a campaign advisor, analyst and aid in Oregon since 1966. He has also served as an Oregon legislative assistant and as member or chair on numerous local government committees and/or task forces throughout that time. He is a recipient of the Lane County Exemplary Service Award. In addition, he has served as a party leader, twice being one of Oregon’s presidential Electoral College members in 1988 and 1992.