Local Republicans say they’re disappointed with Democratic lawmakers following President Trump’s address
Party official decries lack of respect
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Deschutes County Republicans say they feel Oregon's Democratic members of Congress are not listening to their constituents following Tuesday's presidential joint address.
"Did they show any respect to the President of the United States by attending his entire speech? No," Deschutes GOP Chair Keith Rockow said Wednesday. "That's not the kind of people I want representing me in Congress."
Senator Ron Wyden held a town hall during the president's address, instead of attending, and he was not the only Oregon lawmaker to protest the night. Congresswomen Maxine Dexter and Andrea Salinas both walked out during the president's speech.
Wyden spoke about the recently imposed tariffs: "Donald Trump has lied again and again and again about the nature of tariffs. He has said that the foreigners are paying them. That's not true. "
On Tuesday night President Trump hailed his accomplishments during his first two months, including cuts to federal workers. Rockow also works for PatRick, a wildland firefighter contracting company in Redmond. He says the company has seen no threat from the recent DOGE-imposed cuts.
"The private sector makes up well over 75% of the crews that respond to wildland fires. Those aren't federal workers. Those are all private employees," Rockow said Wednesday. "So we are prepared today to meet the needs for the upcoming fire season. "
Local Democrats like newly elected Rep. Janelle Bynum brought fired federal worker Liz Crandall from Bend to Capitol Hill, as her guest. Crandall says during this time she would be training for firefighting if she was still employed by the Forest Service.
"I'm here, I'm fighting," she told KTVZ News ahead of the address. "I'm really honored to be accompanying Representative Bynum as her guest, and having that representation is so important for us that have been fired, because we're real people,"
But Republicans like Rockow say the future is bright under the Trump administration: "He's continued to move forward in a positive direction for the country, and we're trying to do the same for Deschutes County here. "
