Flip the 6th (interest thread)

[OBD]

Wikimedia Commons

While states like Texas and Illinois had more high-profile battles, the Beaver State played host to one of America's most intense redistricting battles. Democrats were in firm control of Oregon's government, and by extension, held the redistricting pen - however, Oregon Republicans refused to quietly allow themselves to be outvoted at every step. Utilizing Oregon's unusually high quorum rules, they threatened to ground the statehouse to a halt. For months, the parties were in a state of standoff, with neither willing to come to the table on redistricting. It seemed certain that the maps would be sent to the courts.

Then, Tina Kotek caved.



In an eleventh-hour move, Democrats and Republicans came to an agreement to pass a relatively fair map, keeping DeFazio's seat competitive while adding a new swing seat in the Willamette Valley. Covering regions from the Pacific Coast to progressive Corvallis, diversifying Salem to working-class Linn County, this new, open seat was ideal for Oregon's most competitive House election in years. Voting for Obama, then Trump, Buehler, then Biden, will Oregon Republicans be able to capitalize on a favorable national environment and win a second congressional seat in Oregon for the first time since 1988? Or will Oregon Democrats hold the line with their significant organizational advantage and keep the Beaver State's congressional delegation solidly blue?

Welcome to my latest election game, Flip the 6th! Inspired by KaiserDave's fantastic East of the Merrimack, this is a modern take on the concept. Like Kaiser's game, Flip the 6th will feature custom characters. Feel free to design custom characters, whether they be state legislators, small business owners, activists, county officials, or more - however, stay realistic.

I'm also carrying over the rules from Kaiser's game. Here they are, for reference:

Rules

1. No Violating the Rules of this Blog

2. No Powergaming, Metagaming, etc.

3. Be polite please, rudeness ain't needed. Be considerate and kind towards your fellow players and blog posters.

4. Be reasonable and stick to realism.

5. If you commit to playing a big role, please stay active. And lengthy and complete inactivity without any message or reasoning will result in removal.

6. No cheating, I don't know how you would but don't do it

7. Characters, and this is very important, must be well rounded and sensible. I will not accept God-like characters. Within those constraints, get creative!

7. Have fun!

8. If you have any suggestions, please provide!

And here is the info:

1. The game will commence in fall 2021, right after the map passed. The primary elements will be schedules, speeches, debates, interviews, endorsements, and the like. Events earlier than fall 2021 are not required, but can still help one's standing.

2. I will incorporate news. Assume that any events that happen OTL (besides how Oregon redistricting actually went) happen in this TL. Additionally, assume that all OTL politicians exist, except for those that conflict with player characters (e.g. if the player represents Oregon's 10th State Senate seat, the current senator from that seat does not exist for this game's purposes).

3. Detail is good. Go into depth about the locations you visit, and try to tailor your campaigns to them. Results are calculated on the county level so this can and will affect your numbers!

And lastly, the character app. Once again borrowing from Kaiser.

Character App
Name:
Gender:
Age and DOB:
Hometown:
Current Residence:
Political Party:
Occupation:
Background:
Political Record*:
Visual Description**:
Additional Information:


*Tell us more about your character's time in politics, if they're a local lawmaker what have they prioritized, what are some important votes they've taken on controversial issues. If they're a private sector outsider who have they fundraised for or publicly supported, what are some issues where they've been vocal?

**Image not required

Candidates

Democratic:
Charlotte Adams (D-Salem) - Falterin
Christine Jang (D-Salem) - Kuumo
Commissioner Thomas Ryder (D-Corvallis) - GoTfan
Senator Eric Talbot (D-Corvallis) - Orwell
Yuri Testikov (D-Corvallis) - discovolante

Republican:
Doyle Brooks (R-Albany) - RGM2903
Representative Heather Cooper (R-Salem) - CentristRepublican
Ted Miller (R-Salem) - Ishan
Dale Scott (R-Silverton) - GregTheGreat

[OBD]

Thanks for the interest, folks! Feel free to start filling out applications so we can get this game closer to starting.

[OBD]

I think I am interested, hypothetically, in playing. I may change my mind later on but for now I am open to playing.

Character App
Name: Heather Cooper
Gender: Female
Age and DOB: 34; born July 17, 1987
Hometown: Salem
Current Residence: Salem
Political Party: Republican
Occupation: Politician
Background: Member of the Oregon House of Representatives since 2017 (District 19)
Political Record: Somewhat moderate on some issues but overall reasonably conservative. Prioritizes low spending and smaller government. Is moderately pro-choice and supports some gun control and some LGBT rights, has kept quiet on the election, and is otherwise fairly mainstream a Republican but isn't too vocally pro-Trump. Will be emphasizing economic issues and criticism of Democrats during the primary season.
Visual Description: Fairly good-looking. Tall, fair complexion, hair is light brown, longish, and straight, eyes are green. Kinda resembles Hope Hicks.

Approved

[OBD]

Character App
Name - Doyle Brooks
Gender - Male
Age and DOB - 47, born September 28, 1974
Hometown - Albany
Current residence - Salem
Political party - Republican
Occupation - Political commentator
Background - Political commentator on KDZR (1997-2015), campaign spokesman for Donald Trump in Oregon (2015-2017), political commentator on One America News (2017-2021)
Political Record - Brooks has vocally expressed very conservative views during his time as a commentator. He has been an unrepentant Trump supporter ever since he declared his candidacy, even serving as his campaign spokesman.
Visual Description - Average middle-class white guy. Moderately tall but chubby, pale complexion, dark hair which is cut really short, brown eyes.

Checks out. Welcome to the game!

[OBD]

Character Application

Name: Yuri Testikov
Gender: Demi-male (uses he/they pronouns)
DOB: November 16, 1992
Birthplace: Hoonah, AK
Current residence: Corvallis, OR
Party: Democratic (formerly Green)
Occupation: Activist, blogger, food co-op cashier
Background: Studied environmental science and anthropology at Oregon State from 2010-2014; became involved with anarchist groups at the university; founded the green anarchist blog After Growth in 2015; has been frequently involved in left-wing protest movements as an organizer since college; briefly arrested for smashing the windows of a bank during an anti-police protest in June 2020; ran in the primary for a State House seat in 2020 but finished fourth out of five
Political record: Advocates for the replacement of all existing forms of government with decentralized communes. Self-identified neo-Luddite. Has spoken favorably of violent activists such as the Weather Underground. Heavily inspired by the Situationist International. Within the framework of electoral politics, he stresses drastic environmental measures, localism, drug legalization (he is a habitual user of marijuana and LSD), and police abolition.
Appearance: 5'3", shaven head, shoulder-length hair, large beard, typically seen in sweats and aviators

Whew. Accepted.

[OBD]

Character Application:

Name: Charlotte Adams
Gender: Female
Age and DOB: January 15, 1981
Hometown: Portland
Current Residence: Salem
Political Party: Democratic
Occupation: Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Salem College
Background:
Political Record: A lifelong educator, Adams moved to take a job at Salem College in 2016. Shortly after, she made a name for herself locally for her very public resistance efforts during the Trump presidency, taking place in and organizing for the Women’s March and anti Keystone pipeline protests. Her philosophy of public policy is justice-focused with an emphasis on righting the wrongs committed against marginalized groups. A vocal supporter of Bernie Sanders both primaries, Adams strongly urged the need for those on the left to support Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.
Visual Description: 5’6”, pale skin, round face with neck length straight black hair

Approved, naturally.

Salem College doesn't exist, though - may I suggest looking up an area community college (perhaps Chemeketa Community College), or perhaps Willamette University (a private school in Salem)?

[OBD]

Name: Ted Miller
Gender: Male
Political Party: Republican
Age: December 2nd, 1968 (52)
Hometown: Salem
Current Residence: Salem
Occupation: Small businessman (Owner of a gun shop)
Political Record: Ted Miller is a libertarian leaning Republican, supporting the legalization of all drugs, and as a gun shop owner, he is strongly pro-gun and very pro-"law and order", and ecconomically, he is considered to be loosely "populist" and is pro-small business and supports a UBI. He is openly gay and his partner, Scott Butler was the Vice Chairman of the Oregon Log Cabin Republicans.
Visual Description: Pale skinned, middle aged man, who has brown hair and a beard. He is 6'3".

Approved. Not everyone has to be from Salem, though!

[OBD]

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.

Approved!

[OBD]

Name: Eric Talbot
Gender: Male
Age and DOB: 55
Hometown: Salem, Oregon
Current Residence: Corvallis
Political Party: Democratic
Occupation: State Senator
Background: Middle Class upbringing, Graduate of the University of Oregon, Helicopter Pilot in the First Gulf War, Small business owner, Mayor of Corvallis, State Representative, State Senator
Political Record*: A moderate to liberal Democrat on most issues, he relies mostly on his personal background as a small business owner and veteran allowing him to battle the GOP on national security and other issues.
Visual Description**: 6'0, salt and pepper hair, white man, with a medium build.
Additional Information:

Approved.

[OBD]

Name: Christine Jang
Gender: Female
Age and DOB: October 20, 1984
Hometown: Irvine, CA
Current Residence: Salem, OR
Political Party: Democratic
Occupation: State government-employed environmental scientist

Background: Christine Jang was born into a middle-class Korean family in Irvine, California, where she lived until graduating from UC Irvine with a B.S. in chemistry in 2006. Jang then moved to Corvallis to earn a masters in environmental science at Oregon State. She worked at the headquarters of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality in Portland for three years before transferring to work as a field scientist at the Salem office in 2012. Jang married her husband Matt Anderson in 2012 shortly before moving to Salem. They have twin daughters Samira and Taryn born in 2014.

Political Record: Jang supported Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020, taking part in organizing for the Biden campaign in Marion County. She is solidly progressive on the environment but more moderate on some other issues. Jang is an active member of several environmentalist organizations, a refugee resettlement agency, and an Asian American civic engagement group.

Visual Description: 5'4", lightly tanned skin, shoulder-length straight dark hair

Approved.

I will change the residence of my candidate to Albany for some diversity!

Great!

To CentristRepublican - I anticipate starting early November once new interest begins trickling down.

For reference, I'll name-drop some major cities in the district. This is also important for campaigning:

Salem - Largest city and seat of the 6th's largest county. Pretty working-class and with nowhere near as much character as Portland or Eugene. Notably high - and growing - Hispanic population.

Woodburn - Very Hispanic town. Home to a sales tax free outlet mall frequented by many Portland wine moms.

Keizer - Salem's drab, more conservative northern sibling.

Monmouth - home to Western Oregon University.

Dallas - other major Polk County locale. Pretty conservative place.

Corvallis - OSU, basically.

Albany - second largest city in the district, I'd guess. Like Salem, it's pretty working-class, but with less diversity and swingier.

Lebanon, Sweet Home, Stayton - wtf

Lincoln City/Newport - major centers of commerce in Lincoln County. Coastal cities with a unique, touristy feel, definitely a relatively small voice in the district though.

Silverton, Mount Angel, Tangent - very small towns. Do your own research.

[OBD]

Name: Dale Scott
Gender: Male
Age and DOB: October 16, 1971
Hometown: Johnston, IA
Residence: Sherwood, OR
Political Party: Republican
Occupation: Nike executive
Background: Dale Scott was into an upper-middle-class family in the suburbs of Des Moines, Iowa, where he lived until age 12 when his family moved to Leesburg, Virginia, as his father's job in the defense industry was moved. He lived there until he graduated high school and was accepted into Yale University. He graduated from Yale with his MBA in 1996. He moved to Hillsboro, Oregon after getting a job in the finance department at Nike. In 1999, he got married, and in 2000, he moved to Sherwood to accommodate his young family, after the birth of his son, Brandon. In 2010, he was promoted to being an executive in the finance department.
Political Record: He voted for Gore in 2000, then straight R until 2016, when turned off by Trump's rhetoric, he backed Clinton. In 2020, he voted for Jo Jorgensen. He contributed in the thousands to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in 2012, and Knute Buehler's gubernatorial campaign in 2018.
Visual Description: He stands 6'2", wears glasses, and has mousy brown hair in a generic style. He is fairly thin.
Temperament: He is known for his mild-mannered, hands-off managerial style at Nike.

Approved, but of note that Sherwood is a good deal out of the district. Might be advisable to move your character into the seat.

[OBD]

Name: Dale Scott
Gender: Male
Age and DOB: October 16, 1971
Hometown: Johnston, IA
Residence: Sherwood, OR
Political Party: Republican
Occupation: Nike executive
Background: Dale Scott was into an upper-middle-class family in the suburbs of Des Moines, Iowa, where he lived until age 12 when his family moved to Leesburg, Virginia, as his father's job in the defense industry was moved. He lived there until he graduated high school and was accepted into Yale University. He graduated from Yale with his MBA in 1996. He moved to Hillsboro, Oregon after getting a job in the finance department at Nike. In 1999, he got married, and in 2000, he moved to Sherwood to accommodate his young family, after the birth of his son, Brandon. In 2010, he was promoted to being an executive in the finance department.
Political Record: He voted for Gore in 2000, then straight R until 2016, when turned off by Trump's rhetoric, he backed Clinton. In 2020, he voted for Jo Jorgensen. He contributed in the thousands to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in 2012, and Knute Buehler's gubernatorial campaign in 2018.
Visual Description: He stands 6'2", wears glasses, and has mousy brown hair in a generic style. He is fairly thin.
Temperament: He is known for his mild-mannered, hands-off managerial style at Nike.

Approved, but of note that Sherwood is a good deal out of the district. Might be advisable to move your character into the seat.

Is Carlton in OR-06?

No, that's in Yamhill County. Take a look at the OP for a district map.

[OBD]

Holding the door open for further applications for a bit, then we're getting started.

[OBD]

Holding the door open for further applications for a bit, then we're getting started.

Great. I will get my negative attacks ready to roll. What will the polling for the GOP primary be at the beginning of the race? I can plan my strategy accordingly.

I'll post those numbers when we officially get started. Anticipating this will be in the next week.

[OBD]

Looks like new interest has petered off, so sure. Will start work on an opening post.

[OBD]

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

[OBD]

Heads up, I've begun grading events and doing randomization for next round. Please post events/schedules (latter is optional) if you haven't already.

[OBD]

Deadline for posts this turn will be November 30.

[OBD]

Deadline for posts this turn will be November 30.

Is the updated polling coming out today? I expect Ted Miller to stay where his or even lose support, and for Dale Scott to increase greatly in support. Brooks and I will also likely see poll improvements as the number of undecidedes shrinks.

Polling is complete, so I'm working on it. Also bear in mind that I'm a college student so I can't do things at beck and call.

[OBD]

Deadline for posts this turn will be November 30.

Is the updated polling coming out today? I expect Ted Miller to stay where his or even lose support, and for Dale Scott to increase greatly in support. Brooks and I will also likely see poll improvements as the number of undecidedes shrinks.

Polling is complete, so I'm working on it. Also bear in mind that I'm a college student so I can't do things at beck and call.

How long do you anticipate the new turn lasting?

Let's say the 15th, giving everyone two weeks to post.

[OBD]

For clarification, Donald Trump has indeed endorsed Doyle Brooks.

[OBD]

Is the update coming?

Yeah once the side effects from the booster wear off

[OBD]

I will be grading posts today.

[OBD]

Closing this turn on the 12th.

[OBD]

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

Understood. You got any extensions if you need any, and best wishes - hope she gets better soon!