Newburg Graphic - Dudley Stumps in Newberg
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Election 2010 -- Republican candidate for governor speaks to a modest crowd at Chehalem Adult Enrichment Center Thursday
By Amanda Newman
The crowd was small Thursday afternoon at Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Dudley's "meet and greet" at the Chehalem Adult Enrichment Center, but he appealed to them no less strongly.
"I'm asking all of you for your help ... now and after November, to help turn Oregon around," he said. "It's not something that can be done by one man, it's going to take a team effort, but I think Oregon's ready to do it."
About 40 people, including several elected officials and candidates from throughout the area, turned out for the event. The low number was likely due to a lack of publicity -- notice was apparently given primarily via e-mails to some groups in the county and there was no mention of the event on the Yamhill County Republicans' website, yamhillgop.org.
The audience questioned the former Trail Blazer on issues ranging from health care and immigration to how he would be a leader for the state.
Dudley shared his vision for Oregon, saying he would focus on four areas of improvement: increasing jobs, reducing the size of government, improving education and building trust.
"In my eyes, there's simply no reason we should be living like we are today," he said of the state, referencing the high unemployment, less-than-national-average per capita income, ongoing budget crisis and low high school graduation rate, as well as Oregon's status as a national homelessness and hunger leader.
"We're going to have to go in a new direction, and I think we're ready for it," Dudley said.
He shared his views on immigration (secure the borders, create an effective federal system, enforce current laws, and help employers know the legal status of their employees), health care (he is "very concerned" about the reform package and the costs it will bring), and Measures 66 and 67 (it doesn't make sense to repeal them, but he would "pull back" the "worst parts").
And he said he would work to have the three qualities Vic Atiyeh, Oregon's last Republican governor, tells him are important for the head of the state: strong leadership, communication and accessibility.
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