Oregon Democratic secretary of state candidates speak of COVID-19’s campaign impact

(Update: Adding remarks from candidates Mark Hass, Jamie McLeod-Skinner)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The coronavirus pandemic is affecting how candidates campaign for state elections, including the one for Secretary of State.

With the primary election set for May 19th, three Democratic candidates spoke with NewsChannel 21 Wednesday about how their campaigns have changed since the start of the pandemic.

Shemia Fagan of Portland is a Democratic state senator and a civil rights attorney who grew up in rural Oregon.

She said campaigning during a crisis like the pandemic is a good way for candidates to show their leadership skills and flexibility.

“I think in a campaign like this, you’re able to do less telling and more showing people the kind of secretary of state you’d be,” Fagan said.

Her campaign focuses on making sure public services reach underserved communities. She said although it’s difficult campaigning without interacting with people face-to-face, she said she hopes to continue connecting with voters through other methods, like her podcast.

“One thing we’re focused on is to make sure when we talk to people and we offer resources, we’re not only thinking of the resources that are needed by the many but also the resources needed by the underserved community,” Fagan said.

Mark Hass, of Beaverton, said the coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of many in-person events, including house parties. Now, he said people have been creating Zoom video-conference parties as a substitute.

“It’s not quite the same, but we’re adapting,” Hass said. “You can still fundraise on the phone, but there’s definitely a different vibe now.”

A couple of the topics on his agenda include ordering an audit to establish a more comprehensive drug addiction recovery network.

“We have this terrible virus, as bad as it is, but in 2018, we had more than 2,000 Oregonians die of addiction, overdose or suicide related to opiates,” Hass said. “It’s one of Oregon’s biggest killers.”

Hass is also proposing a child care ombudsman office in the secretary of state's office, which would be independent from the state Department of Human Services.

“This is a very difficult time, but I’ve gone through difficult times before,” Hass said. “I’ve gone through these recessions, beginning in 2002 and 2009, and I know that Oregon will get back on track.”

The third Democratic candidate, Jamie McLeod-Skinner of Terrebonne, said this pandemic offers a time for all Oregonians and components of the government to work together.

McLeod-Skinner is an elected board member of the Jefferson County Education Service District, and was appointed by Gov. Brown as a board member at large to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. 

“I’ve gone to school with refugee kids as a kid, I’ve worked in former war zones, and I’ve worked with refugees resettling and rebuilding lives,” McLeod-Skinner said. “So I’m very passionate about this idea of good democracy, because I’ve seen where it failed, and I know how dangerous that could be.”

McLeod-Skinner said she appreciates the opportunity to take her campaign online, using Facebook and Zoom to facilitate and engage in conversations with more people across the state.

She said she hopes in times like the pandemic, people will continue to work together, despite their differences. She said if elected, she hopes to bridge the gap between all people, regardless of their ethnic, socioeconomic or geographic backgrounds.

“We all have a role to play in this pandemic. We have folks who are on the front line protecting our health, providing us with food, and educators,” McLeod-Skinner said. “For those of us who are not in those immediate roles, our job is to flatten the curve and to reduce the spread of the virus.”

All of the candidates agree that although the means of communication have changed, their priorities in running for the position of secretary of state have not.