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Tension builds in GOP District 4 primary By DANI DODGE MailTribune.com By DANI DODGE Posted May. 3, 2002 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 17, 2010 at 2:01 PM By DANI DODGE Posted May. 3, 2002 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 17, 2010 at 2:01 PM » Social News As Cherryl Walker tries to keep her seat, she gets heat from challenger Dennis Richardson � and anti-abortion members of her party Typically, a Republican would not challenge an incumbent Republican legislator. Typically, a conservative Republican would be pleased with a state representative who didn't raise taxes even in the face of devastating budget cuts. And typically, an NRA-endorsed candidate named Outstanding Freshman Legislator by the Oregon Rural Health Association would be the darling of the Republican Party. But the state House District 4 race is far from typical. In the race between state Rep. Cherryl Walker and attorney Dennis Richardson the issue of abortion is involved - and typical responses aren't on the ballot. "Two years ago, I voted for a conservative, pro-life Republican," Dennis Richardson said, referring to Walker. "The person who went up to Salem was a moderate, pro-choice Republican. "I believe my political and moral views are more in line with District 4 than hers." But Walker insists she represents her constituents well. She grew up on a farm and has focused on rural issues throughout her life. While in the Legislature, she worked to restore funding for rural emergency services, to attract health care practitioners to rural areas, and supported small businesses by voting to reduce personal property taxes and allow them to offer low-cost, no-frills health insurance. "I have diligently worked 60 hours a week for my constituents," Walker said. "And if he is talking about the abortion issue (when Richardson says he represents the district better), I'm not going to legislate any group's or any individual's value system into law." Walker, a retired administrative law judge, won her seat two years ago after beating Republican Larry Frank, former president of the Rogue Valley Association of Realtors, by a few hundred votes in the primary. She easily beat Democratic rival Lon Holston in the general election. This is Richardson's first race, although he was appointed to the Central Point City Council last year and has served as the Oregon Republican Party's treasurer since 1999. Private polls show that the race is very close with many voters still undecided. The challenge to Walker stems from a dust-up with abortion opponents that began before she took office. When Walker ran her first race, leaders of two anti-abortion groups - Oregon Right to Life and the Oregon Family Council - said Walker led them to believe she would vote with them on abortion issues. And they have the paperwork to prove it. "I thought this gal was as pro-life as anyone," said Tim Nasif, the political director of the Oregon Family Council, which publishes a voters' guide distributed to 115 churches in Jackson and Josephine counties and to 6,095 individuals in Southern Oregon. "That's what we put in our 'Voter's Guide.' " Walker says she always made it clear that she supports Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, although she personally opposes abortion and believes strongly in parental notification laws. She, too, has paperwork to back up her claim. "I didn't mislead them," Walker said, adding she saw the voters' guide only after it was published "and it was too late to do anything." Then, during the legislative session, Walker voiced opposition to an "informed consent" bill, that would have required doctors to counsel women on their options and required a 24-hour waiting period for an abortion. Anti-abortion forces were incensed. "We were blind-sided," Nasif said. But Walker said the bill was badly flawed. The requirement for doctors to counsel patients duplicated rules physicians already follow and increased their liability. Its implementation would have cost the state $200,000. "I viewed it as unnecessary legislation and a breach of privacy," Walker said. As Walker and abortion opponents battled over who said what, Richardson began mulling a run for office. He had already prepared for public life by moving into a smaller home in Central Point and restructuring his law practice to allow others to take on more responsibility. "We had our ears tuned and when we heard (Richardson) was interested, we called him right away, found out he shared our values," said Gayle Atteberry, executive director of Oregon Right to Life. "We went to talk to him. We loved him! He was a perfect candidate in every way, except that there was an incumbent." But Richardson still wasn't willing to commit to a race, Atteberry said. Richardson said he talked to a number of people to help him decide, including Perry Atkinson, the Oregon Republican Party chairman and general manager of Christian radio station KDOV in Medford. "I certainly encouraged him to run ... because he's a good candidate," Atkinson said. "It was hard for people to understand why she went against her word and that vulnerability was enough, so Dennis felt he should get into the race." Statewide anti-abortion groups are helping fund Richardson's campaign, and members of Jackson County Right to Life are going door-to-door campaigning. "We feel District 4 is a conservative district that deserves a pro-life candidate," said Bryan Platt, chairman of Jackson County Right to Life. State political analysts see the race as an example of the conflict in the Republican Party between social conservatives and "business conservatives" who believe in the reduction of government regulation and intrusion. Jim Moore, an independent political analyst based in Portland said it's rare for incumbent Republicans to be challenged in the primary, but when it does happen it's usually because "a social agenda line has been crossed." And when that line is crossed, socially conservative Republicans often win in the primary, but lose in the general election because moderate Republicans as well as Democrats and independents are voting in larger numbers, said Bill Lunch, a political science professor at Oregon State University. But no Democrat is even running in the heavily Republican District 4. It's winner take all in this primary. Holston, a Democrat who ran twice, said he's just watching from the sidelines. "All the races are down and dirty, but this is the first time I've seen the type of expos? where they eat their own," Holston said. Lane Shetterly, the state House speaker pro tem, insists Walker's views are acceptable within the Republican Party. "I'm one who would be styled as a moderate on a lot of issues, but I certainly have not been shunned by the party," he noted. And Walker was impressive as a freshman legislator, he said. "She was actually assigned to chair one of the subcommittees of the judiciary committee, which for first-term legislator is a pretty outstanding assignment," Shetterly said. "And she did a really good job. She had the respect of legislators and had a knack for the process." Walker said if she is re-elected she will concentrate on making sure "every child has a quality education, every person has access to medical care, and everyone who wants a job has one. " Richardson said he's different because he comes from a business background and will not become one of the "good-old boys" in Salem. "We need to review the state government and amount of money spent at top levels, and make it more efficient and use that money to benefit programs for the people such as education, seniors and state police," he said. And though those typical issues - education, crime and taxes - are a big part of the District 4 matchup, social issues invariably surface. And predictably emotions flare. In a recent debate on KCMX's "Morning Express," Richardson accused Walker of "not being honest" for including portions of a letter from Atkinson in an advertisement. He said she implied Atkinson endorsed her. "It was not an endorsement and I'm tired of having you calling me a bum," Walker retorted. "I never said that," Richardson replied hotly. "I have attended your speeches," Walker said, "and you said 'Throw the bum out.' " No matter how nasty this primary gets, Atkinson said the state Republican Party will support the winner. "Primaries are where you really pound the leather and the ideas," Atkinson said. "My job after the primary is to pull everybody together and pound it out through the general - that's when you focus on the big picture." Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] By DANI DODGE MailTribune.com By DANI DODGE Posted May. 3, 2002 at 2:00 AM Updated Dec 17, 2010 at 2:01 PM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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