Libertarian
files to unseat Minnis Campaign - Brad Fudge makes it a three-way
race against the House speaker as she seeks a fifth
term
Tuesday, August 08, 2006 JANIE HAR
Oregon House Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village,
has drawn another opponent this November as she
runs for a fifth term representing east Multnomah
County. Newly converted Libertarian Brad Fudge,
a developer and former Republican, filed Monday
to take on the woman who holds the chamber's most
powerful position. Democrats already have targeted
Minnis in a district that skews Democratic.
Fudge, 53, calls himself a fiscal conservative and
social moderate, which is why he says he lost the
Republican primary for a Washington County House
seat in 2004. He lost to Suzanne Gallagher, an anti-tax
and anti-abortion candidate whom Fudge said was
favored by party leaders. "I could not
believe the Republican Party was more concerned
with their religious, social agenda than their business
issues," he said. Fudge, who moved in early
2005 to Fairview, criticized Minnis for backing
payday loan regulations only after prompting by
her constituents. He said he generally supports
free-market principles but would balance that against
other factors such as consumer protection.
Amilyn Davidson, Minnis' campaign director, said
the speaker "has worked tirelessly" for
families and businesses in the nearly 10 years she
has been in the House. "We knew it wouldn't
be an easy race, and I don't really think it's going
to matter who runs against her or how many opponents
she has," Davidson said. "She's going
to be able to take her record to the people of House
District 49 and they'll make the right choice."
Democratic candidate Rob Brading had little to say
about Fudge's entry except that it further shows
voter frustration over Minnis and the status quo
in Salem. State Libertarians held their second nominating
convention on Saturday, and picked Fudge and five
other candidates, bringing their candidate slate
to 16. The party's executive director, Richard Burke,
said the party is not specifically targeting Republicans
this election cycle, but members are unhappy with
the way Minnis and House Majority Leader Wayne Scott,
R-Canby, bottled up bills last session. After
the 2004 primary, Fudge switched to the Democratic
Party, then turned independent. Thursday, he filed
as a Libertarian.
