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Jackson County Republicans Tuesday night unanimously chose former Ashland Mayor Alan DeBoer as their nominee for the Senate District 3 race in the Nov. 8 election. "I'm looking forward to putting a positive spin in Salem," DeBoer said. At the Republican convention held at Inn at the Commons in Medford, DeBoer was chosen by a unanimous vote among 47 precinct committee members. He was the only candidate to announce he wanted to fill the seat left vacant by the sudden death of Alan Bates on Aug. 5. One precinct committee member nominated Dave Dotterrer, who ran against Bates twice and nearly won, but Dotterrer declined. Dotterrer also nominated DeBoer for the Senate seat. "It's a sad occasion that brings us here," DeBoer said. "Sen. Bates was a friend of mine ... He was a great person." DeBoer also knew Sen. Lenn Hannon, who held the Senate seat prior to Bates. "When I visited Sen. Lenn Hannon when he was in the Senate, he always introduced me as his replacement," DeBoer said. Republicans held a brief question-and-answer period, touching on topics such as taxes, gun rights, the Public Employees Retirement System, health care and abortion. DeBoer said he personally doesn't support abortion but said he preferred to steer away from getting caught up in the political debate over that subject. Increases in PERS are eventually going to result in more cuts to government services, DeBoer said. He also said society needs to look at possible limitations on certain kinds of weapons and large gun clips in light of all the recent shootings in the U.S. But he said he doesn't think guns are the problem. He said corporate taxes are already too high, and he said he hoped voters would see how harmful Measure 97 would be to some corporations, including Lithia Motors, which is owned by his brother Sid DeBoer. "It will destroy him," DeBoer said. "When the governor says we have the lowest corporate tax rate — not true." DeBoer said he won't have to pay the tax, but his brother will. "It's very unfair," he said. DeBoer, owner of TC Chevrolet in Ashland and Airport Chevrolet in Medford, is a lifelong Ashland resident who served as the city's mayor from 2001 to 2004 after serving two years on the City Council and eight years on the Ashland School Board. He has served on numerous community organization boards, ranging from Little League and the Mt. Ashland Ski Association to the Ashland chamber and the Rogue Valley Area Commission on Transportation. Republicans will have to name another nominee for House District 5, for which DeBoer was running before the Senate seat came open. Jackson County Republican Party Chairman Ken Fawcett said a nominee for the House seat will be chosen Monday to run against Democrat Pam Marsh. Democrats have selected Medford lawyer Tonia Moro, a Talent resident, as their candidate for the Senate seat in the November election. She was selected Friday from among 13 candidates. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm . null