Dennis Richardson Dodges Social Issues But His Votes, Fundraising Reveal His Views

The Republican candidate for governor, state Rep. Dennis Richardson (R-Central Point) has not had to answer many questions about social issues during this campaign.

When abortion, gay rights or issues of equity come up in interviews or debates, Richardson hits the fast-forward button, giving some version of an answer such as "those issues are settled."

At the KGW/Oregonian debate on Tuesday night, Richardson faced incumbent Gov. John Kitzhaber, a Democrat who is strongly progressive on such issues. KGW's Tracy Barry asked Richardson whether he was out of step with Metro-area voters, who are overwhelmingly Democratic.

"My views on some of the social issues are different from others," Richardson said. "But as governor, I would take an oath to enforce and honor the will of the people."

Yet as governor, he would have the power to choose how to enforce state laws and to set policies for agencies in a way that reflects his views.

Two votes he's taken in recent legislative sessions, and the identity and ideology of one of his top contributors, provide some clues as to how he might govern. 

*In 2007, House Bill 2700, required insurers to pay for birth control and required hospitals to provide women emergency contraception in case of rape. The bill passed but Richardson was one of only nine House members to vote against it. 

*In 2009, Richardson was one of 19 House members who voted against House Bill 2509, which required that all public schools provide "age-appropriate" sex education.

Richardson's spokeswoman, Meredith Glacken, says there is a difference between how Richardson approached issues as a legislator and how he'd approach them as governor.

"In the state house, Dennis honored his duty to represent the will and views of his constituents. As governor, he will honor his responsibility to represent the entire state," Glacken says. "There are no one-issue bills, and in the legislature, Dennis examined bills carefully before voting, and always according to the interests of his constituents. As governor, he will take an oath to uphold Oregon law and the will of a broad constituency, and that is an oath he has promised to keep."

Yet in his campaign, Richardson has leaned on the support of a group that seek to overturn settled law permitting abortions.

Since October 2013, Oregon Right to Life, the state's leading anti-abortion group, has given Richardson $80,000 from its political action committee. That makes Right to Life Richardson's second largest contributor after the Jones timber family of Eugene, which has given him $400,000. (He's raised just under $2 million since entering the campaign and has $303,000 on hand. Kitzhaber has raised $3.6 million and has $534,000 on hand).

Right to Life's eye-opening candidate questionnaire contains leading questions about whether a fetus should be considered person, whether clinics that perform abortions should be more heavily regulated; and whether Medicaid funds should be (as they are now) used to pay for abortions or physician-assisted suicide.

Despite Richardson's alignment with the anti-abortion group, Glacken says he would not advocate for the group's agenda if elected governor.

WWeek 2015