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.

There is a clear distinction between the two candidates running for Oregon Senate District 19, which covers parts of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. It is currently represented by Majority Leader Rob Wagner of Lake Oswego. Challenging him is Ben Edtl of Tualatin who is making sure voters are clear on the sides.

Wagner wrote in an editorial, “communities need police to be able to focus on preventing solving crimes…we passed legislation to improve law enforcement best practices and distribute funding to culturally specific, community-based organizations…[that] will promote racial equity and reduce racial disparities.” How that plays out is that he voted to pass HB 2928 called "Restorative Justice" preventing police officers from using safe and non-lethal riot control tactics, refusing to hold and prosecute violent criminals and defunded critical police units that took illegal guns off the streets, and gave victims’ rights to criminals.

Edtl wants to end “Restorative Justice” policies and force District Attorneys to prosecute criminals, and allow police to enforce laws and put a stop to the violent crime wave in the Portland metro area.

Wagner also voted for SB 554, the safe storage of firearms bill, which makes it virtually impossible to defend yourself from murderers and criminals.

Edtl says, “I am the complete opposite of Rob Wagner. Public Safety will always be my number one priority as your State Senator.” It is statistically proven that increased gun control only increases the gun violence, and he wants to work to repeal SB 554 and other legislation passed to disarm law abiding citizens or prevent legally acquiring firearms. “Gun control and gun free zones are not the answer to reducing gun violence,” Edtl says. He also opposes all red flag laws and will fight to defend Due Process for all Oregonians, under every circumstance.

Homelessness and the lack of affordable housing are issues that affects nearly every Oregon community. Wagner passed two bills to supersede local law and allow homeless people to camp on public sidewalks. The first bill HB 3115/a> overturns local public camping laws. Then he followed up with a second bill HB 3124 that gives the homeless rights to an extended stay. Integrate that with Measure 110 contributing with drug addiction and crime.

Edtl wants to stop the humanitarian crisis by repealing the failed Measure 110, increase funding for treatment and financially punish cities, like Portland, that refuse to enforce public camping laws and encourage the infringement of private property rights.

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

Wagner started his career advocating for Oregon’s teachers, faculty, health care workers, and academic support workers at the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon. He worked on outreach at Portland Community College and served on the Lake Oswego School Board. He liked seeing the educational growth of students as a ladder to success. Still, he led the majority party to change the state curriculum to focus on race division and sexual indoctrination of our kids and eliminated Oregon’s graduation standards. As a result, parents are pulling their students from public schools and enrollment is at historic lows. Oregon ranks 47th in the nation in education and among the top for per student funding, but Wagner claims our public schools are at risk of financial collapse.

Wagner also led his majority party to pass HB 1521 that restricts school district control over superintendents, restricts parent’s input and centralizes power to the Oregon Department of Education.

Edtl says, “I will fight to return democratic control of schools to the parents and taxpayers, fight for school choice, ban CRT and CSE curriculum and diminish the power of the Oregon Department of Education. I will restore testing and graduation standards and eliminate indoctrinative racial and sexualized curriculum. Our schools should be focused on uniting our children regardless of their differences and focusing on basic education like math, reading and writing.”

Edtl is a Portland native. He is constitutionally conservative and socially liberal. He is an activist and also opposes Wagner by opposing tolling, the CAT tax, return to single family zoning, supports First Amendment religious and medical freedom, ban abortion after 12 weeks and repeal public paid abortions. Two clear opposing sides for voters to choose.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-09-14 16:42:53

Last Update: 2022-09-14 16:56:08