Six years ago I met a candidate for a La Grande City Council position, and I asked them about their Party affiliation. They vaguely replied, “I’m independent-minded.” When I pressed them, they sheepishly admitted, "Well, I'm a Democrat." I was shocked that someone seeking office would hide their party affiliation for a perceived electoral advantage without even knowing where I stand on any issue. I believe it is important for all candidates to be honest with voters, rather than hide personal beliefs that they believe may cause them to lose support. 2020 is an election that will define the country’s soul. It will be won by those who do not hide who they are from voters.

For most of my life my ideology has been on the conservative/libertarian side. In practical terms, that means that I prefer private over public solutions to societal issues; I want any necessary government activities to be implemented responsibly; and I don’t want anyone interfering in my personal decisions. My libertarian streak occasionally puts me at odds in my party - the Oregon Republican Party platform officially endorses marriage rights for only heterosexual couples, while I fully support marriage equality as a constitutional freedom for any two consenting adults. When something that harms no one does not affect me, I do not want my tax dollars being used to stop it.

The Mayoralty of La Grande is a nonpartisan position, but I have regularly advertised my endorsement by the Union County Republican Party. The party leadership committee is composed of elected members in La Grande and other communities, and they decided to endorse me and other candidates for nonpartisan Council seats this year because they believe that our community, shared as home for some and the county seat for others, could benefit from renewal. Prior to endorsement, myself and other candidates presented our 10-point Renew La Grande Platform emphasizing increased city transparency, support for businesses, and better winter road condition management.

I am advertising my endorsement by the Party because I believe there is an electoral advantage, but the advantage is two-fold:

• Voters who usually support candidates nominated by the Republican Party will be more likely to support my campaign, and

• Voters will know who I am and who is supporting me.

The latter is more important to me because the increasing polarization of American politics is causing a dangerous amount of division. The Renew La Grande Platform is a comprehensive vision for developing La Grande’s future, and most voters will likely agree that the planks comprise the best priorities for City government. However, many voters are also opposed to voting for any candidate registered with or supported by the Republican Party, even if the candidate’s platform is best for their constituents. I am convicted to advertise my endorsement by the Republican Party not just because I want conservatives to vote for me, but because I do not wish to gain a single vote by hiding who I am from voters.