Conservative candidates have long struggled to find electoral success on the West Coast. Still, the devastating results of liberal governance may finally be turning the tides in favor of Republicans.
The gubernatorial election in Oregon may see a reform-minded Republican candidate elected governor for the first time since 1982. Over the last decade, Oregon has steadily declined. It is experiencing shocking levels of homelessness, fueled by indifference from Democrats toward addressing a massive drug addiction crisis. This problem was exacerbated in 2021, when Gov. Katie Brown signed a statewide law that severely limited the abilities of local government officials to crack down on homeless encampments. While liberals argued that people experiencing temporary homelessness needed protections in order to get back on their feet, the law essentially gave drug addicts a free pass to set up new homeless encampments throughout the state, sometimes in popular public places.
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In 2020, voters also decided that the time was ripe to decriminalize hard drugs such as fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. The enactment of Measure 110 removed criminal charges for possessing small amounts of these dangerous drugs, replacing the punishment with a $100 fine that can be waived if you complete a health screening. Unsurprisingly, addiction and crime have since skyrocketed. Deaths from drug overdoses increased a staggering 41%. Rather than getting people back on their feet and into treatment, Oregon has experienced a surge in open-air drug zones and tent cities where crime and death are rampant. This has also negatively affected the state’s vibrant tourism industry.
Fortunately for Republicans, voters may finally be acknowledging the obvious link between liberal policies and the state’s despair. Republican gubernatorial nominee Christine Drazan has made homelessness and drug use a central part of her campaign, and polling suggests that the GOP is well poised for success at the statewide level. Drazen, a former House minority leader in the Oregon House of Representatives, has articulated the link between untreated drug addiction and homelessness and pledged to repeal Measure 110 should she be elected. Drazen has also pledged to crack down on the presence of homeless encampments throughout Oregon by allowing cities and towns the freedom to enforce local laws and ordinances concerning extended public camping.
While the problems faced in Oregon are certainly similar to those faced by several liberal-run cities throughout the nation, Oregon officials have essentially prevented local governments from addressing these problems by giving free rein to drug dealers to expand their deadly business. They have also promoted social decay by limiting any repercussions for behavior that negatively affects society.
Voters appear to have finally woken up to the depravity inflicted upon them.
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John Twarog is a graduate of Canisius College and Georgia Southern University and works in public health.
