Senator Bill Kennemer (R-Canby) announced he has filed for reelection to represent the people of Senate District 20.

Appointed in 2021 to finish the term of former Senator Alan Olsen, Senator Kennemer has since successfully secured funding for wildfire recovery efforts in the district and $95 million for the Clackamas County Courthouse remodel. He introduced legislation to give voters a voice on tolling, fought government overreach, and supported common-sense public safety measures.

“Oregonians deserve to have legislators they can trust to serve our community,” Kennemer said. “Instead, Portland-style politics have found their way to Clackamas County and my constituents are frustrated by the votes in Salem to toll our freeways, allow early release of violent criminals, and raise billions of dollars in backdoor sales taxes at a time while people are struggling with inflation and affording basic necessities.”

Kennemer said he believes voters in his district are concerned about restoring balance in Oregon’s policy debates and prefer to be represented by a senator who will work to solve the issues Clackamas County voters care about with a commonsense approach. “The costs Oregonians are seeing at the pump and at the grocery store aren’t just national politics. Votes like a CAT tax on gross receipts of sales on household goods, construction materials for housing, and prescription drugs are making Oregon unaffordable.”

Kennemer noted that many of his constituents feel one-party dominance has emboldened government overreach in ways that make life hard for everyday Oregonians. “Letting criminals out of prison early has made Oregon less safe. Shutting down small businesses unnecessarily during the pandemic has created an employment crisis. And our kids need unprecedented support in schools to get back some semblance of normalcy they’ve lost in the last two years of lockdowns. We need balance in the legislature to ensure this never happens again,” he said.

A consistent refrain from voters in Senate District 20 is that Portland’s crime issues have crept into Clackamas County and that reduced sentencing, early prisoner release, and commutations of prisoners’ sentences by Governor Kate Brown have made people more afraid. “My community has made it clear they support law enforcement and want a legislator who will push back on the majority party’s preference of supporting criminals over crime victims. It is a clear distinction in this campaign.”

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Kennemer said that his community is also concerned about transportation, and in particular, freeway tolls that will disproportionately impact Clackamas drivers at a time when gas taxes keep rising and gas prices are pushing towards $5 dollars a gallon. “It’s a shame that Democratic lawmakers in Salem think the only way to build our transportation infrastructure is to punish Clackamas drivers with freeway tolls.”

Kennemer’s depth of experience advocating for the people of Clackamas County is significant, having represented them as a state representative, county commissioner, and state senator. A complete list of community involvement is attached.

Bill Kennemer is married to Cherie McGinnis, and they share four married children, fifteen grandkids, and four great-grandkids. Bill has been involved in community, sports, and local church activities in Clackamas County for over 40 years. Bill and Cherie live in rural Oregon City.

The newly reapportioned Senate District 20 includes Oregon City, Gladstone, Clackamas, and parts of Happy Valley.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-03-07 17:46:42