November 2022 Candidates: US Senator

Listed below are candidates for U.S. Senator from Oregon who will be on voters’ ballots in the 2022 General Election. All the candidates were asked the same questions and given the same opportunities to provide information about themselves.

Most of this information is copied from the VOTE411 website of the League of Women Voters of the United States. Candidates have until Election Day to add their information to this website. Another way to easily compare  candidates running for the same position is to visit VOTE411.org.

Candidate Contact & Campaign Information

Chris Henry, Progressive
    • Contact Phone: 1-503-443-5801
    • Web Site:  http://www.chrishenryforsenate.us
    • Town: Oregon City
    •  Experience/Qualifications: Union Shop Steward and Union Organizer, former Co Chair Pacific Green Party
Jo Rae Perkins, Republican, Constitution
    • Campaign Phone (public): 541-730-3570
    • Web Site: http://www.perkins.vote
    • YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvYr0LRekrVu8e9k2ph384Q
    • Town:  Albany
    •  Experience/Qualifications: I have had many years in the financial services industry. In addition to working Oregon State University, in the medical and construction industries. I have also been active with the Linn County Republican Party, The Linn County Republican Women and the Oregon Republican Party. My qualifications I am at least 30 years old and am a U.S. Citizens. Those are the U.S. Constitution qualifications.
    • Facebook: http://facebook.com/perkinsforussenate
    • Campaign Twitter Handle: @@perkinsforussen
Dan Pulju, Pacific Green
Ron Wyden, Democrat, Independent

Candidates’ Answers to LWV Questions

1. What more should the US Congress do to meet the US’s obligations under the Paris climate change agreement both for reducing greenhouse gases, domestically, and supporting poorer countries severely impacted by climate change?

Chris Henry: The United States should move to reduce global greenhouse gas warming by creating incentives for households and corporations to reduce the use of fossil fuels. I support a Green New Deal which prioritizes Green jobs and the transition to a sustainable Green economy.

Jo Rae Perkins: Nothing. We cannot control the climate. We can control pollutants. However, most of the poorer countries and no so poor country, such as China are responsible for much of the pollution.

Dan Pulju: We the People and our government should start acting serious if we truly believe a climate emergency is in progress. The Paris agreement required promises but not action, and now that our government has alienated half the world with its reckless trade war, voluntary collective action is unlikely. The agreement is currently defunct.

Our government has also consistently shown that its “help” to poorer countries is rarely given in good faith. It wants control of global resources and trade.

Ron Wyden: As Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, I have led the fight to kill the fossil fuel subsidies that have driven the climate crisis. I authored significant pieces of the recently-signed Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest investment ever in the fight against the climate emergency. This landmark law will reduce energy costs, secure our energy independence, and drastically cut carbon emissions by 40%.

2. What further federal legislation would you promote, if any, to reduce gun violence in this country?

Chris Henry: I support harm reduction to help eliminate gun violence in the US. Here in Oregon where gun violence is out of control with over 1200 shootings in Portland in 2021 I support ballot measure 114. I support criminal background checks for all gun purchases and safety training.

Jo Rae Perkins: None. Guns are not violent. We need to spend money on mental health. Get the teens off of psychotropics. If a person is fixated on causing harm to others they will do so by any means they can. This includes, knifes, vehicles, drugs. It is not limited to guns. More people have died from fentanyl this year than being murdered by gun.

Dan Pulju: Gun violence in the U.S. is a socioeconomic ill driven mainly by poverty and the War on Drugs. Restrictions on ownership do little to address this problem, and states are already free to enact red flag laws. What the Federal government needs to do is end the War on Drugs. This means reducing penalties for possession and use, and finding ways to combat trafficking that don’t backfire by making it more profitable.

Ron Wyden: I’ve authored legislation to strengthen protections for domestic violence survivors against gun violence. I support strengthening and expanding background checks, prohibiting the sale of firearms to those convicted of hate crimes, and support federal violence intervention initiatives. Finally, I have sponsored legislation to ban the sale of fully automatic weapon modifications.

3. What should be the federal government’s role in addressing women’s right to privacy in reproductive health decisions?

Chris Henry: Abortion is health care. I support a woman’s reproductive rights and her rights to choose when and how to have a family. I support full access to contraception, government supported health care for women of reproductive age and universal health care for all Oregonians. I do not support any restrictions or limitations on a woman’s right to choose.

Jo Rae Perkins: None. Abortion is NOT reproductive health. Learn more at hushfilm.com

Dan Pulju: We need a constitutional amendment that plainly protects the right of bodily autonomy and informed consent in all medical decisions. This is a natural right inherent in our constitution, but the Supreme Court has nullified it by overturning Roe v Wade. It will have to be spelled out more clearly. This may not be easy, but alternatives like adding justices to the Court would set a dangerous precedent. I am pro-choice on both abortion rights and vaccine mandates.

Ron Wyden: I strongly believe that government should never have control over a woman’s body. I am proud that Oregon will provide reproductive care to anyone who needs it. I have also been leading the fight in the Senate to safeguard private reproductive health records and to ensure that abortion information stays online and accessible to every American that needs it. I will always fight to protect a woman’s privacy and her right to choose.

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