REDMOND, OR -- The candidates for the newly redrawn Fifth Congressional district met in their last scheduled debate on Saturday, in Redmond. It's the final campaign stretch for a race some are calling "extremely tight," between Republican Lori Chaves DeRemer and Democrat Jamie McLeod Skinner.
When asked about whether they could work in a bipartisan manner, both said yes. McLeod Skinner, who lives in Terrebonne, called on her work on the boards of the local ESD and Watershed Enhancement board, "We create solutions by staying away from buzz words, staying away from the politics of it, focusing on the challenges we all face, and then working together to develop those solutions." Chavez DeRemer cited her experience as the former Mayor of Happy Valley, "You represent everybody and you bring them to the table on the issues. And the tables that we’re seeing set for us today, by one party rule, has not benefited all Oregonians."
On abortion, the two drew distinct lines. Chavez DeRemer believes it's a states' rights issue, "I am not for a national ban; I don’t want to see this on the floor of Congress. I think the Supreme Court did have it right in sending it back to the states." McLeod Skinner says it's an issue of privacy, "I believe very strongly that government should not be telling us what to do with our bodies. Period. That’s not the government’s business; that’s our personal business."
When asked about curbing mass shootings, Chavez DeRemer said more needs to be done to address the mental health crisis, "Every single case that we’ve seen, there has been some sort of back history on mental health. That is where I think we need to focus our dollars. We have laws in place that are not enforced. We have laws in place where we have the cashless bail, people are returning to the streets." McLeod Skinner cited the Bend grocery store shooting, and wants better background checks and safe storage laws, "Absolutely, we need to fully fund the police. That’s something I have a long track record of doing, as a Councilmember, as a Vice Mayor, as a City Manager, I’ve done that. And I’m really proud to be endorsed by the Former Chief of Police in Bend because of my stance and because of my support for law enforcement. But, we have to close loopholes."
If elected, both agreed to hold regular town hall meetings across the newly redrawn district, which now stretches from a corner of Portland, Clackamas, Marion and Linn counties, into Bend and Redmond.
Saturday’s debate was held at the Deschutes County Expo Center, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Deschutes County. Click HERE to watch the entire forum.
