Dual Assault on Oregon's 4th District Primary
Congressman Peter DeFazio, of Oregon’s 4th district is facing a challenge for the Democratic nomination from 24-year-old newcomer Matthew Robinson. If the last name sounds familiar, it’s because Matthew is the son of Art Robinson, the Republican who challenged DeFazio in the 2010 midterm elections.
Matthew Robinson is running not as a Republican against a Democrat in a general election, but as a fellow Democrat in a primary. The problem is that Matthew is not a Democrat.
If DeFazio beats Matthew, he will face Art Robinson as the Republican challenger for his congressional seat again this year. Since Matthew admittedly shares his father’s political beliefs, DeFazio is essentially facing two consecutive Republican challenges.
Matthew Robinson told the News Review in the March 7, 2012 issue that there are no major policy differences between him and his father. The more layers that are peeled off the rotten onion represented by the Matthew Robinson candidacy, the worse the smell becomes.
The News Review reported on March 7 that Matthew switched from Republican to Democrat last August. The switch came just in time, if you can believe it, to satisfy Oregon election laws stating that a person must be registered in a party for six months before running as a candidate for that party. Matthew then filed his candidacy by the March 5 deadline.
The fact that Matthew shares a campaign headquarters and a campaign manager with his father makes it clear that Matthew’s candidacy is just phase one of Art Robinson’s campaign.
The fact that Matthew’s older brother Noah Robinson is the shared campaign manager just completes the nepotistic cabal.
Patriarch Art Robinson is a conservative who has stated that the Department of Education and Department of Energy should be shut down and that the “right to life” issue, rather than jobs, should be the central issue of this year’s campaign.
Art Robinson is running unopposed for the Republican nomination. This frees him to spend all his resources attacking Peter DeFazio. Meanwhile DeFazio is using his resources defending himself against a carbon copy challenger.
In a fundraising letter, Art Robinson asked supporters to donate funds to Matthew Robinson’s campaign. What’s next, Art asking supporters to switch parties and vote for his son in the primaries?
Primary season party switches should be a real concern for DeFazio. Neither of Oregon’s U.S. senate seats are up for election this cycle. There is nothing major on the ballot to keep Republican voters from switching over for the May 15 primary.
The Matthew Robinson candidacy is a blatant attempt to subvert the democratic process by a candidate who doesn’t even pretend to share the ideals of the party he is attempting to represent
Matthew’s admitted political views will be amply represented in the general election by his father. All his candidacy does is force DeFazio to waste resources and weaken his position for the general election
These tactics are indicative of a larger cancer on the body politic. Candidates in the current climate will do anything to win. Even if it means exhibiting this complete lack of respect for the electorate.
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