Clark Colvin thanks supporters and staff

To My Great and Loyal Campaign Supporters:

Well the race is over for me but not for the chosen Republicans as we head into the General Elections. It is the day after the results were released and it looks like the gloves are off already. As for the Primary race, it was well fought and respectful. However, now is the time for all Republicans to unify behind the winners, because the November General Election is so important to our state and to our nation. I plan to contact all Republican candidates who ran for Governor and I hope to impact the November outcome by demonstrating our unified front.  

While of course I’m disappointed that my last minute run did not generate a grass roots explosion, I’m nonetheless glad I ran. I’m especially proud of the supporters who helped me push on. That motivational push continued right up to late yesterday afternoon when I received a phone call from a woman looking at her ballot and my website.  She asked me how I felt about abortion and gay marriage. When I mentioned I was against both, she said I had her vote.  

Tuesday, as I drove down I-5 to meet John Lim and his supporters at The Benson Hotel, I still felt there was some hope. At the election party I was warmly greeted by Senator Lim and his supporters who I felt sincerely endorsed my positions.  It was a nice closure to the campaign, and it reinforced my thoughts.  Many Oregonians from both parties told me I had a political future and should not quit politics. 

During the campaign as I crossed the state appearing at all the forums and debates that I could, I was often joined by my 13 year old son Chad, or my 19 year old daughter Casey Ann.  I really began to appreciate the American democratic process at the grass roots level.  I was experiencing something that I believe our founding fathers must have had in mind for our republic.   With candidates giving stump speeches, debating each other, and answering questions from the audience, I felt this was really the way campaigns should be held.  Whether it was a live forum or debate, a TV or radio interview, I was pleased that the voters were getting the right information to make good voting decisions.  To make more people aware of the candidates’ views at these forums, these events were often shown on TV and almost all of them were made available on the internet. 

All these things made me think that grass roots campaigns do in fact have a chance today, especially with the internet. I concluded people could now get more useful information about the candidates than ever imagined, even a couple of years ago.

There will always be biased reporting which seasoned politicians well know.  When that happens, I hope the people will understand there are always two sides to a story.  Truly, going through a political campaign is a huge education for a first time candidate as I learned.  However, it was fun meeting the people, and of course meeting and talking with my supporters over the phone. 

The day after the KATU live debates on May 2, I got a phone call from a woman from Astoria who told me that she and her husband were as mad that they had registered as Democrats and could not vote for me.  She then asked how they could help me get elected. 

On many more occasions in La Grande, Salem, Klamath Falls, Newport, Albany, Corvallis, Bend, Eugene, Tillamook, Prineville, and even in Portland, I was approached by supporters who liked my ideas and my concrete pro-business solutions for Oregon’s fiscal mess.  They liked my conservative social and fiscal stances, as well as my patriotic message.

It was you my supporters that kept me on the campaign trail and I thank you.  I want to thank my Campaign Manager, Bill Lambert from Colorado who was my daily supporter in more ways than one. If it was not for Bill, my campaign messages on the website would have not happened. I also thank my daughter Casey Ann, who provided our Facebook information and for her support with the Oregon State University Republicans. It was a great boost for my candidacy in the Corvallis area.  

I have a special thanks for Stella Guenther the Benton County Republicans Manager who held a “Meet and Greet” for me at their headquarters, where I spoke for over an hour.  As I’m writing this, Jo Rae Perkins, the Linn County Republican Party Chair just sent me an email stating that Chris Dudley should hire me to help turn Oregon around.  According to her, more people needed to hear my message.  I was also greatly supported in La Grande, by the Eastern Oregon Patriots with a personal meeting with them and their supporters. Needless to say, I thank all my supporters and the people who cared enough to go out and hear all the candidates speak.

This is the way American political elections should happen – face to face.  After my experience as a state-wide candidate, I believe this is the only way that voters can really find out what candidates stand for, what they believe in, and how they handle the tough questions. The 60 second TV commercials and radio sound-bites hardly scratch the surface of the candidate’s true abilities, beliefs, and qualifications.  As I mentioned in one of the forums when the subject of campaign financing came up, “we have the best Congress that money can buy.” No pun intended – it’s the truth.  That is why many candidates do not represent the people anymore, but instead represent special interests.  In essence, it’s not how much money is raised but rather how it is used that determines election’s outcomes. I think politicians should take a hard look at this issue – but then again it is really against many incumbents’ self interest to do so.

I will continue to be active in politics because I love this country.  You have my pledge that I will not sit still and watch the Federal Government pick apart the U.S. Constitution, bleed Americans of their rights and liberties, and of their hard earned money.  Also I cannot sit on the sidelines and watch Oregon continue to slide into economic ruin.  To me this campaign has been the wake-up call, and I ask you for your continued support.

Thank you and God Bless America,

Clark Colvin,

Former Republican Candidate for Governor,

May 19, 2010                 

As a post script, I’ve dusted off my doctoral dissertation written over 20 years ago where I submitted that since ancient times, republican forms of government degenerate into socialism and/or government sponsored dictatorships.  I’ll have the whole document on the website soon so you can review my findings.  Then you can take law abiding corrective action. The United States of America is not immune from this outcome.  Why – because of secular liberalism.   It sounds scary, but today will are starting to live that nightmare.  It’s happening now in Greece, the cradle of our civilization, and it can happen here.  I fear our current politicians either do not know this, or worse, they are hiding it. 

Lastly, Carl Rove recommended one political book to me and I’ll pass it on to you – “The Dream and the Nightmare” by Myron Magnet.  Another on finances is “The Great Depression Ahead” by Harry S. Dent Jr.  Together, these books answer the “why”, the “when”, and the “how much”.