Letter to Editor of The Oregonian

The government of Oregon is being captured by big money.  Candidates for Governor spent over $80 million on their campaigns, doubling  the previous record of $40 million and 40-fold the amount spent in 1998.  Candidates for the Oregon Legislature spent over $41 million also setting a new record.  This does not count the portion of the $14 million spent by the "leadership committees" of the Democrats and Republican caucuses in the Oregon Legislature that was not contributed directly to candidates.

The top 10 Oregon Senate candidates spent an average of $1.5 million each; they spent around $50 per vote.  The top 10 Oregon House candidates spent an average of $867,000 each; they spent nearly $60 per vote.  One man alone contributed $5.25 million to candidates for Oregon Governor this year.

Oregon is one of 5 states with no enforced limits on campaign contributions.  The result is that Oregon campaigns are among the most expensive in the United States, making candidates dependent on and beholden to their huge donors.

Voters should demand that the Oregon Legislature, with Governor-elect Tina Kotek, enact effective campaign finance reform, including limits on campaign contributions and requiring that political ads name their largest funders.

Dan Meek
Volunteer, Honest Elections Oregon
honest-elections.com

Credit to Hillary Borrud and The Oregonian for the charts on donors to the candidates for Governor.