Gov. John Kitzhaber Pushes Past $1 Million Mark, Extends Fundraising Advantage Over Republican Dennis Richardson

Gov. John Kitzhaber
By NIGEL JAQUISS

Gov. John Kitzhaber is making an early summer push to bury his Republican opponent, State Rep. Dennis Richardson (R-Central Point).

Already this week, Kitzhaber has disclosed more than $175,000 in new donations, pushing him well over the $1-million mark for this calendar year. He's now raised $1.155 million in 2014 and has $822,000 on hand. Richardson has raised $269,000 this year and has just $80,000 on hand.

Kitzhaber's largest new donations are from the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians ($50,000), the Washington, D.C.-based Laborers Political League Education Fund ($50,000) and the Oregon Laborers Political Action Committee ($20,000).

The Umpqua Tribe operates a casino in Canyonville, in southern Oregon, which is under threat from a proposal from the Coquille Tribe's desire to build a casino in Medford. The Laborers generosity looks more like a reward for Kitzhaber's staunch support for the Columbia River Crossing project, a $2.8 billion public works job that is at least temporarily dead due to lack of funding.


WWeek 2015

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.