Two of the candidates running for an Oregon House seat in Springfield discussed their positions on issues Thursday during a forum held by the Springfield City Club.
Technically, there’s no incumbent in House District 7, but one of the candidates, Democrat John Lively, has served in Salem for a decade. After redistricting, the shift in boundaries meant Lively had to run in a new seat, the borders of which closely resemble his old seat. The person who formerly held the office, Rep. Cedric Hayden, R-Fall Creek, is running for a seat in the Oregon Senate.
Lively pointed to his long service at the Oregon Capitol, and said he has a track record of constituent service.
"I've been in the legislature for ten years," he said. "I think that I have the respect of my colleagues and my constituents. And I respect them. And I would hope that that's the number one priority. We can't agree always on policy, but we need to make sure we respect each other."
Lively is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Meanwhile, two Republicans are trying to win their party’s primary next month.
Alan Stout is a sales manager who said despite the significant registration edge held by Democrats in the district, voters there are in the mood for someone new.
“Voters should not have to have representation where there’s a values clash with them," he said. "I think current policies and how things have gone show that there’s a clash, and it’s time for a change. I'm hoping that what I can bring to the Legislature is representation that protects Constitutional liberties and freedoms."
The other Republican on the ballot, Raiph Huber, did not appear at the forum. A City Club moderator said Huber had been scheduled to speak, but withdrew due to a family emergency.
Huber has not filed a voters pamphlet statement and does not appear to have a campaign website.
Neither Huber nor Stout have reported raising any campaign funds so far. That compares to Lively, who has nearly $50,000 on hand and who can likely save most of that for the general election.
According to the Secretary of State's office, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 5,000 in House District 7, although—like most state House districts—unaffiliated and third-party voters outnumber members of either major party.
