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Saxton will run for governor By JESSICA SMITH A Portland attorney who wants to be Oregon's next governor said he won't forget there is more to the state than the Willamette Valley. Ron Saxton, 47, stopped in Medford at South Medford High School on a statewide tour Friday to pledge his commitment to bridging the gap between the "two Oregons" - the population hubs in the north and the rural communities in Southern Oregon and other parts of the state. "We need a governor that understands that people live and work all around the state," Saxton said. He said he would commit himself to fostering educational and economic opportunities throughout Oregon. "What we really need here is a governor who is a fighter," he added. "I'm going to fight for the things that unite this state." Saxton is one of two Republicans to declare candidacy for the 2002 governor's race. Labor Commissioner Jack Roberts also wants the job. According to the state elections office, no one has formally filed as a candidate for governor. Gov. John Kitzhaber's second term in office expires in January 2003. But Saxton and Roberts aren't alone in their bids for the state's highest office. Three Democrat hopefuls - former state Treasurer Jim Hill, former Multnomah County Commissioner Beverly Stein and Mike Thorne, former Port of Portland executive director - also have announced their candidacies. Saxton, who was elected to the Portland Public School Board in 1997, is a former commercial farmer and a native of Albany. He is now chairman of Ater Wynne, a Portland firm that specializes in corporate law. He described himself as a fiscal conservative - "to put it bluntly, I'm tight with money" - who understands that every tax dollar is a dollar taken from someone who earned it. Among his chief priorities, Saxton listed education and the state's power supply. The state should cut through the red tape that burdens school administrations and direct dollars to Oregon classrooms, he said. And though Oregon can be a good neighbor to California during its energy crisis, Saxton said the state should not overlook its own needs. An adequate supply of energy must be generated and maintained, he said. Reach reporter Jessica Smith at 776-4481, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.