Some Oregon and Washington political leaders are taking to social media to applaud the results of the presidential election.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, on Twitter Saturday morning called the win for president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris a “great day for America” and “our democracy.”
“Now it’s time to beat this pandemic. Fight for racial justice. Overcome our differences & work together,” Brown tweeted.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, also a Democrat, similarly congratulated Biden and Harris on Twitter, calling the pair “leaders of great character and empathy, suited to this moment in history.”
Nodding to President Donald Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice,” Oregon’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley wrote in an email statement: “American voters have rendered their judgement: Donald Trump, you’re fired!”
Merkley continued, stating Trump has failed the nation in many ways including in his responses to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as racial injustice and climate change.
“Trump’s failures have left us with many challenges,” Merkley wrote. “Together, as a nation, we must work with great urgency to change course and create a better future for working families. I look forward to working with President-elect Biden and his administration to put America back on track.”
Oregon’s Democratic U.S. Sen Ron Wyden also reacted on Twitter, retweeting a video from the Oregon Zoo of baby goats happily prancing around with the caption: “Mood.”
In a longer tweet, the senator stated: “Democracy is worth waiting for. Today we celebrate. Tomorrow we begin our work to build back better. For everyone.”
Oregon U.S. Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer commented on the fact that two women would be the presiding officers of both chambers of Congress. He tweeted: “When President Biden addresses Congress he will begin by saying, ‘Madame Vice President and Madame Speaker!’”
Vice president-elect Harris is making history as not only the first woman, but the first Black person and first person of South Asian descent to be elected to her position.
Neither Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Walden nor the newly elected incoming Rep. Cliff Bentz, also a Republican, had any written statements online as of Saturday morning. Bentz takes over for Walden when his term ends in January.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler also reacted to the election news on Twitter, stating the election of Biden shows the nation has made a stand for “honesty, decency, respect and a commitment to the common good.”
Wheeler said this presidential election was about envisioning a collective future including good jobs, affordable housing, a response to climate change, the pandemic and racial justice.
“We now can move forward instead of fighting against an administration that tried to move us backward,” Wheeler tweeted. “We now will have a partner in the federal government instead of an opponent.”
Copyright 2020 Oregon Public Broadcasting
