By BILL POEHLER/Salem Statesman Journal
Kurt Schrader has held Oregon’s Congressional District 5 seat since 2008, winning six terms by wide margins, usually without serious opposition.
Amy Ryan Courser and Matthew Rix identify as long shots.
Ryan Courser defeated two more highly funded candidates in the Republican primary and Rix, who has raised no money, has never run for any public office.
The three are candidates for the seat in the Nov. 3 general election.
In addition to all of Lincoln County, Oregon’s fifth congressional district represents includes Salem, a swath north to parts of Portland, east to Stayton and Detroit and includes all or parts of Marion, Clackamas, Yamhill, and Tillamook counties.
Multiple views including from The Cook Political Report rate the district as “Solid Democratic.”
Schrader has a huge advantage in fundraising, with $1.4 million raised as of June 30, the latest date reported by the Federal Elections Committee, and $2.5 million cash on hand. Courser had under $4,000 on hand as of June 30 and Rix said he hasn’t raised any money.
Schrader, 68, was a state representative and senator before moving on to the United States House of Representatives and has won every election he has been in since 1996.
He handily defeated opponents Mark Gamba and Blair Reynolds in this year’s primary election.
The former veterinarian from Canby sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce as well as the Blue Dog Coalition for moderate Democrats.
The district includes wildfire-impacted areas like Santiam Canyon cities including Mill City, areas of Clackamas County and Otis.
Schrader said the government needs to use science and the knowledge of experts to better manage forests with methods like prescribed burns and thinning to prevent fuels from building up in vulnerable areas.
“Again, where a lot of folks like to paint this as all or none approach, there’s as usual a happy medium,” Schrader said. “I would enjoy having a rational discussion for a change.”
He was part of the push to get the major disaster declaration for the wildfires approved in the days after the fire, which allowed for federal help for victims of the fire.
Schrader said a key to wildfire recovery for many of the communities will be continued pressure on federal agencies to help those impacted.
“It’s going to be bird-dogging these things,” Schrader said. “It’s going to be making sure people get help as soon as they can. At the same time, it’s going to be moving people into permanent transitional housing.”
Schrader said Oregon needs to take further steps towards reopening from its COVID-19 restrictions.
He said the state did well in stemming the spread of the disease in the state, but it needs to get businesses and schools back operating as a vaccine and treatments may be a long way off.
“I’m afraid many people are acting way out of proportion on what the impact of this is,” Schrader said.
The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the long-debated second coronavirus aid package, the $2.2 trillion HEROES ACT, though previous attempts to pass it into law have been stalled by infighting in the legislature.
“I would hope there would be an opportunity in the lame duck,” Schrader said. “Once the election’s over, there’s no reason to make the other side look bad like (Mitch) McConnell and (Nancy) Pelosi are doing.”
Republican Amy Ryan Courser
Ryan Courser, who formerly was known as Amy Ryan, held her first public office as a city council member in Keizer from 2015 to 2018.
In the Republican primary, Ryan Courser beat out more well-funded candidates Angela Roman and Joey Nations, as well as G. Shane Dinkel, to win by a large margin and face Schrader in the general election.
She said she decided to run for the offices after attempting to contact Schrader’s office dozens of times concerning bi-partisan issues while a city councilor and not receiving a response.
“I think our leadership, including Kurt Schrader, has been the status quo,” she said.
“I feel like Oregon has lost its voice and been abandoned for a very long time. I’ve been waiting to run for this seat for five years.”
Ryan Courser, 51, said her background as a businesswoman gives her a unique perspective.
She owns a Keizer-based carpet cleaning company, and said she worked three jobs for years as a single mother to raise her two sons.
Hers was one of many businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and she said she supports tax credits for essential workers who continued their employment during the pandemic.
“It’s going to take years. This is not a quick fix,” Ryan Courser said. “This is going to take people who can fight for us on a federal level.”
Ryan Courser said the main issues she wants to tackle include finding solutions for homelessness, mental health and protecting veterans.
“There’s a lack of affordable housing on the coast,” Ryan Courser said. “They’re driving from an hour, and hour and a half, to be able to work. The land’s there. We have to change some of the codes.”
Libertarian Matthew Rix
Rix, 29, said he’s never run for or held a public office.
He says he’s working 50 hours per week in his job as a field service engineer for a vacuum pump company while completing an engineering degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
“Ultimately I’m just trying to make my son proud about his dad and do all the things a good dad should do,” Rix said.