Editor's note: Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project equips voters with information on how candidates stand on issues through a questionnaire process featured in comparison guides.

Mike Erickson (R-Tigard) and Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswgo) are competing for the new Congressional District 6. The district is carved out of the mid-valley. The district comprises Yamhill and Polk Counties, the western part of Marion County, including Salem and the I- 5 corridor and reaches up into the Southwest Portland area. It also includes parts of Clackamas and Washington counties.

Salinas was the Chair of the House Special Committee On Congressional Redistricting that drew the lines for the new district, which conveniently carved out the predominantly Democrat area in Southwest Portland that might give her an edge. The polls are currently telling a different outcome and has the attention of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Prior to serving in the legislature, Salinas worked as a lobbyist for the government employee union SEIU Local 503 where she says that she worked to "help provide Oregon families with a fair shot by increasing the minimum wage, fighting climate change, and providing comprehensive reproductive health care coverage to all Oregon women." She served as House Majority Whip while representing House District 38. She has a BA in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.

While Salinas’ career has been focused on spending taxpayer money, Erickson assists companies and organizations on how to save money as Founder and CEO of AFMS. They help companies of all sizes with supply chain solutions. Erickson has been involved in the transportation- logistics industry for over three decades. His work was recognized by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) as a voice for small businesses. Erickson graduated from Portland State University in business.

Erickson has had a lot to say about the newly passed Inflation Reduction Act – it will do nothing to reduce inflation, but it will grow government. “The Act is absolutely counter to what people say they want from their lawmakers,” Erickson said. “The bill does nothing to help financially struggling Americans or protect our communities. Even the United States Committee on Finance, chaired by Oregon’s Ron Wyden, published a news release stating that citizens making under $400,000 a year would experience tax hikes… What is supposed to relieve the financial pressure on Americans has become a way to push through costly tax measures inconsistent with the title of the new law.”

Salinas sees inflation through the equity lens. In Congress, she intends to fight for a $15 minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, and an even bigger social safety net for our communities. She will also work to win overtime pay for workers that aren’t currently eligible under the Fair Labor Standards Act and will be focused on creating a path to citizenship. She wants to ensure that marginalized communities are provided with opportunities to prosper in a new, clean energy economy by taking bold steps, and not further harm or marginalize by the impacts of climate change.

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

Contrary to Salinas, Erickson sees energy independence as a way to make everyone thrive and grow the economy. He refers to a recent report that found Oregon gas prices remain almost $1 per gallon above the national average. “We must focus on infrastructure development and improving job opportunities and growth for Oregonians,” Erickson said.

Erickson is critical of the Biden administration and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ decision to lift Title 42 restrictions on immigration due to health concerns. He sees securing the border to stop illegal immigration going hand-in-hand with fighting crime to increase public safety. He added that he has no confidence in Secretary Mayorkas and will be an ardent supporter of border security and common-sense immigration policies.

Erickson wants to see Oregon’s Ballot Measure 110 reversed – it has backfired on Oregonians. He makes the point on Facebook that “the radical left must be held accountable for the decriminalization of hard drugs that has allowed crime to run rampant through our communities… I know that if we’re going to make Oregon safe, our brave police officers need to be invigorated, supported, and provided with all necessary resources!”

Erickson believes we need a new approach to improve education – one that prepares students for the jobs of today, not for whatever racial standards politicians approve of at any given moment.

Salinas reiterates the Democrat agenda to pass what she calls common sense gun legislation like implementing universal background checks on gun sales, enacting a red flag law, disarming domestic abusers, reducing police violence, focusing on decreasing city gun violence, and holding the gun lobby accountable. Additionally, she supports Medicare for all and a single-payer system, she is an abortion and reproductive rights champion, and wants to take her bill that recognized racism as a public health crisis to congress.

Salinas says she will focus on our democratic institutions to ensure that we continue to build a diverse, inclusive and representative democracy, and proud to be endorsed by organization aimed at building a democracy that is inclusive of all people. She says she is ready to head to Congress to fight for all people and provide progressive representation. What will her answer be if she is to take the oath of office to our Republic Constitution?

Salinas and Erickson are joined by Larry McFarland, the Constitution Party nominee. McFarland is a retired contractor and project manager for 41 years. He served in the Navy six years and received a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Chemeketa Community College.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-08-29 18:53:42

Last Update: 2022-08-29 19:25:56