Local Republicans’ hope rising with election season

Corvallis Gazette-Times, September 6, 2008 by Kyle Odegard, Gazette-Times reporter
Local Republicans who watched John McCain’s nomination speech Thursday night said they hope and believe the Arizona senator will be the next president of the United States.

“If he keeps this up, he’s going to win,” said John Detweiler, a candidate for the Corvallis City Council. He noted McCain was gaining in polls. “Who knows what will happen in a month or two, but he’s on his way.”

The Benton County Republican Central Committee held a meeting in conjunction with the GOP national convention at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library on Thursday.

When McCain said he would win the election, the crowd in St. Paul, Minn., cheered. So did most of the 40 people at the library, echoing the broadcast.

Corvallis GOP members also applauded several other times, including when McCain mentioned his running mate, Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska.

“When McCain picked Palin, I must admit, I sucked my breath in,” Detweiler said. “I can’t say I wasn’t sure of her. I’d never heard of her.”

Detweiler now thinks Palin is starting to look like a “brilliant” choice.

“I’m thrilled about the VP,” said Carolyn Webb of Corvallis, who wore red, white and blue fake Hawaiian leis to the event. “I wanted to watch it with other people who are like-minded.”

The committee meeting started with a prayer for victory in November and for McCain.

“We have absolutely phenomenal people who are running for local office, as well,” said Stella Guenther, office manager of the local Republican headquarters.

Mike Erickson, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, 5th District, was supposed to speak at the event, but didn’t show. Local Republican officials said they weren’t sure why.

Jim Thompson, a candidate for state representative in House District 23, said Democrats were trying to add more bureaucracy to Salem, and that the government needed business experience instead of political appointees’ mismanagement.

He added that environmentalists, and therefore Democrats, were to blame for energy problems by blocking liquefied natural gas terminals and other projects. Wind farms, for example, were opposed by environmentalists because birds sometimes get killed by windmills.

“Perhaps we have birds that need to be eliminated from the gene pool if they can’t figure out that’s not a good place to fly,” Thompson said.

Chris Nusbaum, mayor of Philomath who’s running for a Benton County commissioner post, spoke as well, saying he had a track record of fiscally responsible management during his six years leading his hometown. Philomath also has accomplished several projects, such as constructing a new police facility and infrastructure improvements.

Nusbaum said political opponents — most notably regarding the couplet, a highway project that rerouted traffic in Philomath — are trying to smear his name this election season.

Detweiler also spoke. Before the meeting, he said he was fiscally conservative, but socially libertarian. His main campaign issues will be taxes and the city’s budget.

(Also see Kyle Odegard's blog)