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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW J'ville planner at 'flash point' turns in resignation ... Concern about violence leads Ashland synagogues to use video systems ... Former Klamath deputy sentenced to 7 years for sex crimes ... J'ville planner at 'flash point' turns in resignation ... Concern about violence leads Ashland synagogues to use video systems ... Former Klamath deputy sentenced to 7 years for sex crimes ... OUR VIEW Our view: Richardson got the coverage, not the win Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 20, 2014 at 2:00 AM Posted Nov. 20, 2014 at 2:00 AM » Social News We have previously credited state Rep. Dennis Richardson with running a surprisingly strong campaign against an entrenched incumbent governor. With little name recognition outside of Southern Oregon and Salem political circles, Richardson pulled in 44.3 percent of the vote, losing by about 5.5 percent. But the suggestion in a Tuesday story that he would have defeated Gov. John Kitzhaber if only he had more campaign donations strikes us as wishful thinking. Richardson may not have had the kind of bucks needed to launch a series of televised attack ads, but the media coverage about the governor in the final weeks of the campaign was more beneficial to the Central Point Republican than one more sleazy TV ad campaign. In case you forgot to pay your newspaper subscription or cable bill last month, Kitzhaber came in for a great deal of scrutiny, and little of it in a positive vein. Principal among the story lines were a string of articles and broadcasts about the governor's fiance, Cylvia Hayes, who found herself in an unwanted spotlight. It seems Hayes went through with a sham marriage with an Ethiopean man who paid her $5,000 so he could acquire a green card and — in the same year, 1997 —  was allegedly the primary purchaser of a property intended to become a marijuana growing site. Those incidents occurred long ago and had little bearing on her relationship with Kitzhaber, who didn't even know her at the time. But the more damning stories focused on her energy/environmental consulting business and allegations that she was benefiting in that business because of her status as Oregon's "first lady." Those allegations are part of an inquiry now being conducted by the state Ethics Commission.  Among the issues that were raised were reports that the governor's staffers rewrote ethical guidelines for  Hayes to allow her, under certain circumstances, to use her title as first lady and the governor’s mansion, Mahonia Hall, for personal business. There are also accusations that she used her position to land contracts for her company and lucrative speaking engagements for herself. Hayes and Kitzhaber maintain that she was merely continuing the business that she had established long before they met. To his credit, Richardson largely stayed away from the personal issues involving Hayes, but he jumped with both feet onto the allegations that she and the governor were guilty of ethical lapses related to her business dealings. In the waning weeks of the campaign, he described the governor's office as "corrupt" and "scandal-ridden." Suggesting Kitzhaber is in any way corrupt was and is empty talk, with nothing to support it. His failings have been significant — hiring a con man to head up a new education system, standing back while the Cover Oregon fiasco unfolded and, yes, not setting a higher standard for his fiance's business activities. None of that reaches the level of corruption or fraud.  But it certainly did give Richardson ample ammunition and air time in the waning days of the campaign and almost certainly contributed to the closer-than-expected vote. It was coverage money can't buy. Despite that, Oregonians re-elected Kitzhaber, apparently basing their vote on his accumulated record rather than the news of a few unfortunate weeks.   MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 20, 2014 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » 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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