Flip the 6th (interest thread)

[GoTfan]

Very interested

[GoTfan]

Name: Thomas Ryder

Gender: Male

Age and DOB: 39, born November 7, 1981

Hometown: Corvallis

Current Residence: Corvallis

Political Party: Democratic

Occupation: Benton County Commission Chair; previously an urban planner and business owner

Background: Ryder was born the son of a baker and a dental assistant, and had an interest in politics from a young age. Active in the Young Democrats, he served as as the secretary of the Young Democrats of Oregon from 2000 to 2003. He eventually graduated the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science in Planning, Public Policy and Management and immediately went to study a Masters of  Community and Regional Palnning, specialising in transportation and community development, graduating in 2004 and setting him on the path to being an urban planner.

He took a job with the Oregon Department of Transportation, working there until 2009 before he left to establish his own development firm. Prioritising environmental sustainability and promoting themselves as sustainable developers, Ryder Community Development undertook several local projects around Corvallis and Benton County, eventually branching into Salem.

With a successful private career, he was set for life, but his dormant political conscience was reawakened, and he became involved with Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, as well as Jeff Merkley's re-election campaign, even serving as county chair for the latter. He signed the company over to his sister (also a planner) and ran for County Commissioner in 2017. He would be re-elected in 2021, and has served as chair since 2019. He intially supported Elizabeth Warren in 2020 anc chaired her campaign in the county, before supporting Biden after her withdrawal.

Political Record*: To no one's surprise, his priority has been on transportation and sustainable community development. He has supported the Hubbard Bridge Replacement and various road resurfacing projects. He was also a strident supporter of COVID restrictions and vaccine mandates. He was a high-profile local supporter of Bernie Sanders in 2016, before charing Elizabeth Warren's local campaign in 2020. He would support Biden once she withdrew.

Visual Description**: He's not bad looking for his age, standing at an even 6 feet with a slim build, short black hair and brown eyes.

Additional Information: He's been married to his wife Freya (a librarian) for almost ten years, and they have two children, a 7 year old boy named Hayden and a 4 year old daughter named Marie.

[GoTfan]

So, we starting soon?

[GoTfan]

I'll be posting tonight my time.

[GoTfan]

I'll be posting soon

[GoTfan]

Waiting on more people to post turns. Anticipating sometime during or after the Thanksgiving break.

Any updates on this?

I'm writing now

[GoTfan]

enter in Salem

December 13: Return to Corvallis for announcement.

"Due to the people of Benton County going out and getting vaccinated, we are today announcing that the Commssion, acting on the appropriate health advice, has voted that outdoor masks are no longer required in the county. They will remain required in indoor public settings, but no longer are required outdoors."

I believe the outdoor mask mandate is a statewide rule in Oregon

Not true.

Taken from the Benton County website:

On November 30, 2021 the Benton County Board of Commissioners adopted Order No. D2021-079. This order lifts the outdoor face covering requirement but still requires all individuals ages 5 and above, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when in indoor public settings as described in Order No. D2021-063.

Source: https://www.co.benton.or.us/covid19/page/county-masking-requirements

I got the dates mixed up, and will be correcting that soon.

[GoTfan]

Is the update coming?

[GoTfan]

I'll be taking a break for a few days. My mother was put on a ventilator with omicron not that long ago.

[GoTfan]

I'm sorry, but I may have to drop out. Seeing someone talk about COVID control measures like that, even in the context of a game, is really distressing my. My mum's on a ventilator with omicron and we're not allowed to see her because of the risk.

[GoTfan]

I'm alright to continue.

[GoTfan]

Would prefer that there remain a Doyle Brooks player, if there are any takers.

If not, I'll create a story about him bowing out of the primary and leave it at that.

Frankly, I feel like if RGM doesn't want to play we should eliminate Doyle Brooks instead of someone else replacing him, and see where the MAGA vote redirects instead of allowing someone else to just join mid-game and get the front-runner position on a platter.

It'd be fairly realistic for him to come down with COVID, a mild form of it anyway, and ends his campaign to be able to fight the virus.