Much of Oregon’s Republican establishment is now shifting to the long-shot campaign of Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
The Kasich campaign on Tuesday released a list of prominent Oregonians supporting him in Oregon’s May 17 primary.
Many were big fundraisers for Jeb Bush before his candidacy imploded. They include former gubernatorial nominee Ron Saxton, financier Stephen Babson and former New Zealand ambassador Charles Swindells.
Kasich has been running a distant third to Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the delegate count. But supporters say Kasich appeals to Oregon’s strain of more pragmatic Republicanism. Former state Sen. Bruce Starr of Hillsboro has been helping the Kasich campaign.
“He’s got the resume of actually getting things done that the other two candidates quite honestly do not,” Starr said.
Kasich’s only hope to win the nomination is to have a deadlocked convention turn to him. He argues that he is the only one of the major Republican contenders who routinely beats Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton in head-to-head polling matchups.
Here’s a complete list of Kasich’s leadership team in Oregon:
- Bill McCormick, former U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa
- Charles J. Swindells, former U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa
- State Rep. Knute Buehler of Bend
- State Rep. John Davis of Wilsonville
- Jason Atkinson, former state senator from Jacksonville
- Bruce Starr, former state senator from Hillsboro
- Billy Dalto, former state representative from Salem
- Derrick Kitts, former state representative from Hillsboro
- Ron Saxton, 2006 Republican nominee for governor
- Mort Bishop III, president of Pendleton Woolen Mills
- John Carter, former chair of Oregon Business Plan
- Robert Gootee, president and CEO of Moda, Inc.
- Joe Gonyea III, CEO and partner of Timber Products Company
- Pat Reiten, president and CEO, PacifiCorp Transmission
- John Von Schlegell, managing director, Endeavour Capital
- Ron Stroble, executive vice president at Umpqua Bank
- Malia Wasson, board member of Columbia Sportswear
- Steve Wynne, executive vice president, Moda, Inc.
- Stephen Babson, managing director, Endeavour Capital
- Copyright 2016 Oregon Public Broadcasting
