The mystery of who will replace Rep. Greg Walden in Oregon’s 2nd congressional district was largely answered last May. With Republicans holding a 9-point registration edge over Democrats in this largely rural district, it is almost a foregone conclusion that the winner in the Republican primary, attorney Cliff Bentz, will win the seat in November.
But even Democrats in the district should take heart in that prospect. Bentz, 68, is a true product of the community. A lifelong resident, the state legislator from Ontario is deeply attuned to the natural resource and economic development issues that matter most to the ranchers, farmers and other residents of this massive district, which stretches from Oregon’s northeastern border to the Medford area. His expertise in environmental law and water rights as well as his years in the Legislature wrestling over energy, transportation and economic policy reflect his ability to drill into arcane details and develop workable solutions.
He’s also not daunted at the prospect of joining what’s expected to remain a Republican minority in the U.S. House of Representatives. He’s been in the minority most of his 12 years in the Oregon Legislature, yet still notched big accomplishments, such as helping pass a $5.3 billion transportation bill funding projects around the state. He also secured rural-specific concessions from statewide laws that took into account the different economy, geographic distance and needs of people in his district.
His Democratic opponent, Alex Spenser, doesn’t show that fluency and familiarity with residents' concerns and lacks a clear record of effectiveness. The 55-year-old writer and performance coach from Klamath Falls highlighted “pervasive divisiveness” as the top issue for the district, emphasizing that her communication skills will help to bring greater unity. But she provides few specifics of what she would achieve. While polarization is certainly blocking progress on a number of fronts, the many stark problems facing constituents of this district – forestry management and wildfire response, inadequate broadband, housing shortages, struggling rural economies – need leadership from someone who has lived these issues. Cliff Bentz is that leader for the 2nd Congressional District.
- The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board
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