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(Update: Added Buehler video, comments from Phil Henderson)
‘I couldn’t take it anymore,’ said former state official
BEND, Oregon (KTVZ) – Former state representative and GOP gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler of Bend told NewsChannel 21 on Tuesday why he was among more than 6,000 Oregon Republicans who have left the party last month and 11,000 since the November election.
“The events of January were deeply troubling to me, starting with President Trump’s questioning of the election and repeatedly trying to strengthen elected Republican officials to alter election results,” he said. he declares. “And then the encouragement of the assault on the Capitol.”
“The last straw was the resolution of the Oregon Republican State Committee, asserting a conspiracy theory – a conspiracy theory debunked – about this ‘false flag’ operation, and that the far left was really responsible for the attack on the Capitol, “Buehler added.
“I couldn’t take it anymore,” he said. “It’s just not responsible. And if those are the types of resolutions – I don’t know what a Republican really means anymore.”
Buehler, like many who changed their registration, joined the ranks of unaffiliated voters, which have grown by more than 10,000 statewide since the election. The Democratic ranks have also fallen by nearly 8,500 since the election.
The former state official, long seen as a moderate by some and a RINO (Republican in name only) by his detractors, said he had shut down his participation in politics.
“I never saw politics as a career,” he said. “I am an orthopedic surgeon by training. I saw my political commitment as a service. After six years, this service is terminated. I think it is quite long.
“But I’ll be happy to help other worthy candidates who genuinely want to solve big problems for real people. I don’t care if they’re Republican candidates, independent or unaffiliated candidates, or even Democratic candidates, s ‘they are really interested in solving real problems. “
“Of course, they have to be true to the principles I believe in: freedom, the rule of law, defending the Constitution, providing opportunities for people.”
“I don’t believe in blind loyalty to any party or person, even the president,” he said. “I said that from the start of my political engagement. I am true to my principles. … Nothing has changed about it. “
“In an old Ronald Reagan adage, ‘I didn’t quit the party, the party left me,'” Buehler said. “I don’t know what it means to be a Republican anymore, certainly in this state.”
“I think the two sides have not governed well over the past two decades,” Buehler said. “There have been drastic changes all over our country, and it’s put a lot of people aside, and we need to be aware of that.
“I think this is something President Trump has recognized,” he said. “Sadly, his leadership style and approach just hasn’t been able to help these people. And I think that’s why we’re seeing so much contention right now.”
NewsChannel 21 also contacted Deschutes County Commissioner and Republican President Phil Henderson on Tuesday about recent voter registration changes.
“Looks like a lot of the people who were maybe leaving the party were in the Portland area – Washington County and a few other places,” he said. I don’t think this is a trend in Deschutes County so far.
“But to the extent that people change parties after the election,” Henderson said. “I think people were disappointed that they didn’t win. People were disappointed with the way the campaign went. I think it has been a very volatile political year.”
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