Buehler claims average qualifications in governor's race

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Many Republican candidates line up for photo shoots and rally to President Donald Trump, but the GOP governor's candidate for the Governor of Oregon prefers to stay on the sidelines of national figures .

The state representative, Knute Buehler, who comes from outside, micro-brewery from Mecca of Bend, is called moderate. He directs what from the outside might look like a long run run against outgoing president, Democrat Kate Brown. The last Republican governor left office 31 years ago.

But Buehler thinks that enough voters are unhappy with Oregon 's sad track record in education – one of the last in the country in terms of graduation rates – with a retirement debt. Employees thriving, and neglecting thousands of children in foster care. 6. And polls show that the Brown-Buehler contest is near.

"I reject narrow partisan labels, I think that they divide us and do not define much of us.I consider it question by question," Buehler said Monday at the end of the day. a visit to a camp for homeless military veterans in an industrial area of ​​the university town. d & # 39; Eugene.

The Safe Safe Veterans, where 15 cabins are lined up in military training with a small kitchen at the end, is at the heart of one of Buehler's campaign platforms: homelessness.

Buehler's visit, which had a goatee and wore a blue blazer over a tie-less town shirt, was unobtrusive.

No audience was present except a reporter while Buehler was looking at the shelters – called Conestoga cabins and looking like miniature box cars minus the wheels – and talking with two directors and a resident veteran. After the visit, Buehler sat down at one of the picnic tables for an interview and discussed what he would do if he won.

"On my first day in power, in the morning, I'll appoint a chief responsible for the homelessness solution because we have to deal with a humanitarian crisis in Oregon," Buehler told The Associated. Press. "There are a lot of good projects, as we see that we are in the middle of the news.The governor has not shown any leadership to align this kind of activities and most importantly to focus funds and resources on those who do it. " right."

Brown's campaign indicates that the governor recently asked the legislature $ 5 million for additional shelters and proposed a $ 370 million strategy that prioritizes the fight against homelessness of children, former combatants and chronic homeless.

Buehler, whose parents have not completed high school, is a strong supporter of education. Butcher's son and housewife in Roseburg, Buehler graduated from Oregon State University, went to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the University. Johns Hopkins.

"Education has been my key to success," said Buehler, 54. "Too many children in Oregon do not have that kind of opportunity yet."

When he was elected, he would spend the afternoon of his first day in power reorganizing the Department of Public Education.

"The ministry has not delivered the results we need for the children of Oregon. Oregon is one of the top five nations in the country for kindergarten to grade 12 schools. When you see these results, you need leadership and a change of direction from this department. "

When asked if he would accept Trump's help in his campaign, Buehler said, "I do not want to be drawn into national divisions." As to whether he approves Trump, Buehler said he did not believe in political division.

He does not agree with Trump's immigration and environmental policies, particularly with regard to the non-compliance with the Paris climate agreements, but he also agrees with the renegotiation of the agreements. international trade by the President and his position that NATO has taken advantage of the United States. Buehler also agrees with Trump's attempts to reduce "the regulatory burden on the country."

Buehler is described as a financially conservative, convinced that the small but effective government can provide the opportunity to move people from dependency to independence without becoming a solution to the problem. long term.

When asked why he was optimistic after the failure of other Republican candidates, Mr. Buehler stated that he had twice won his seat in the House of Commons in a district where only a quarter of the voters are registered Republicans. Registered Democrats represent 35% of the total, the rest of the party members being independent or unaffiliated.

"I know how to win a group of bipartisan supporters," said Buehler. He sees Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maryland, all of whom have moderate Republican governors and Democratic-controlled states, a model for Oregon.

"They ensure that balance in these states, this kind of moderation," he told the governors.

Brown's re-election campaign insists that Buehler is not so moderate, noting that he's saying he's pro-choice, he's voted against two bills to strengthen access to abortion.

Mr. Buehler, an orthopedic surgeon, was also criticized for announcing that he supported the right of parents not to be vaccinated for non-medical reasons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention anticipate that immunization requirements are important for reducing rates of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Joseph Lowndes, an associate professor of political science at the University of Oregon, said Buehler's position on vaccination seemed to be aimed at conservative Republicans.

"He must make the connection between the moderate Republicans of Portland, the centrist and soft right-wing Democrats, and satisfy the much more conservative Republican base of East and South Oregon," Lowndes said in a statement. a telephone interview. "It's a difficult balancing act for him."

Oregon's moderate Republican vote bloc was dispersed when the party moved further to the right with a tough anti-tax, anti-abortion and conservative features there are several decades.

"Liberal Republicans have somehow lost their homes," said Lowndes. Some have drifted, registering as Democrats, becoming independent or remaining registered Republicans but voting Democrats in general elections.

"Buehler hopes to revive this moderate Republican position, revive this electoral bloc," Lowndes said. "He's amazingly done it pretty well, which shows that the state is not as liberal as people often think."

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