BY ANDY WALGAMOTT, NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE
There wasn’t very much doubt that Oregon’s Republican candidate for governor would come out against Initiative Petition 28, the measure that would ban fishing and hunting in the state if passed by voters, but so too has the incumbent progressive Democrat.
“After hearing from concerned Oregonians, I want to take a moment to be very clear about where I stand on IP 28,” said Governor Tina Kotek in a minute-long video posted over the weekend. “I oppose it.”
Earlier last week, her opponent Christine Drazan called the measure – which has tentatively turned in enough signatures subject to verification to qualify for the fall ballot – “an all out assault on Oregonians’ way of life.”
“It criminalizes ranchers, farmers, meat producers and threatens to kill thousands of jobs. It would mean the end of hunting and fishing in Oregon, killing not only traditions and ending access to an essential source of food, but butchering natural resource-based industries that support hunting and fishing,” posted Drazan, who also stated that IP 28 is being “pushed by Tina Kotek’s allies.”
Maybe so, but for her part, Kotek is disavowing their approach.
“Criminalizing activities like hunting and fishing would be wrong for Oregon,” Kotek said. “I know tribal leaders, farmers and ranchers and Oregonians across the state who care deeply about protecting our land. This petition does nothing to help them, and it risks criminalizing common agricultural practices that are critical to Oregon’s economy.”
IP 28 is being pushed by animal rights absolutists. According to an Oregon Secretary of State synopsis, in the unlikely event it is passed by voters this year, their petition would lift animal cruelty exemptions around lawful practices such as fishing, hunting, trapping, animal husbandry, the slaughter of livestock and poultry, rodeos and scientific research involving animals, as well as eliminate fishing and hunting licenses.
In her comments, the governor did allow that there was a place for a conversation about conservation and animal welfare without attacking farmers, ranchers, hunters and anglers.
Still, count her as against the petition.
“Say no to IP 28,” Kotek said, words that had a number of commenters on her video stating they’d finally found something they both agreed on.
Drazan also signaled a strong pushback is needed.
“We will fight this attack on our traditions, economy and livelihoods – it’s time for Oregonians to come together to defeat the extremists who want to destroy our state,” she said.
Some on the right and left may see the petition as a double-edged sword and a self-inflicted wound, boosting Drazan’s chances of being elected governor and perhaps David Brock Smith to the US Senate by driving up Republican turnout at a point in time when arguably conservative interest in voting might otherwise be depressed because of national politics.
IP 28 organizers have through July 2 to collect signatures. They have turned in 126,115 as of May 29, a jump of over 5,000 since mid-May. A total of 117,173 valid ones are needed to qualify for the November election.
For more, see the Oregon Hunters Association’s website on IP 28.
