Nicholas Kristof in 2022 OR Governor's race
On Crime:
Violence in Portland due to Feds more than protestors
[On BLM protests]: "It also must be said that while there's violence from both sides, what I've seen firsthand is that the most violent behavior overwhelmingly comes from the federal agents, and indeed the most serious injuries have been suffered
by protesters.""If you want to call one side 'rioters' or 'anarchists' working to create tumult in Portland, it's the uninvited feds who qualify," Kristof added.
Source: FOX News on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Oct 14, 2021
On Drugs:
War on drugs one of America's greatest mistakes
One of America's greatest mistakes over the last century was the war on drugs, so it's thrilling to see voters in red and blue states alike moving to unwind it. The most important step is coming in Oregon, where voters easily passed a referendum that
will decriminalize possession of even hard drugs like cocaine and heroin, while helping users get treatment for addiction. The idea is to address drug use as a public health crisis more than as a criminal justice issue.
Source: The New York Times on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Nov 7, 2020
On Drugs:
Decriminalize to steer addicted people into treatment
Under the new Oregon measure, manufacturing or selling drugs will still be crimes, but possession of small amounts would be equivalent to a traffic ticket. The aim is to steer people into treatment so that they can get help with their addictions.
That focus on treatment is critical. Seattle has in effect decriminalized possession of hard drugs, by exercising prosecutorial discretion, but it never adequately funded social services for people wrestling with substance abuse.
Source: The New York Times on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Nov 7, 2020
On Education:
Make education a priority; make sure kids don't drop out
He said if elected he would prioritize three topics as governor: homelessness and housing, education, and jobs. "There are so many areas we need to address. We have a very short school year. We allow kids to drop out before the age of 18 in ways that
other states don't," Kristof said. "Fundamentally it's about making education a priority. And especially making sure kids stay in school and don't drop out."
Source: KGW-TV 8-NBC on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Oct 27, 2021
On Education:
Companies won't invest here if schools aren't top-notch
Along with Oregon's shorter school year, Kristof believes Oregon is approaching a point where the education
system will impact the state economically. "Companies aren't going to want to invest here if they can't promise their employees top-notch schools." he said.
Source: KGW-TV 8-NBC on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Jun 11, 2021
On Gun Control:
No strong evidence that assault weapons ban saved lives
I'm not sure it's possible to get any gun legislation through Congress right now, and certainly not a ban on assault weapons. It's also true that while liberals loved the assault weapons ban for the 10 years it was in effect, there is no strong evidence
that it saved lives--but it did turn the AR-15 into a conservative icon, so that today there appear to be more AR and AK rifles in private hands than in the United States military. And most crime and deaths involve handguns, not rifles.
Source: The New York Times on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Apr 3, 2021
On Gun Control:
Use executive action to crack down on ghost guns
President Biden can use executive action to crack down on "ghost guns," which avoid regulation and serial numbers because they are sold unfinished or as kits. We also need universal background checks, red flag laws, curbs on people
with violent misdemeanor records acquiring weapons, and more. But given the difficulty of pushing meaningful gun safety legislation through Congress, I understand why Biden is focusing on infrastructure rather than firearms legislation.
Source: The New York Times on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Apr 3, 2021
On Health Care:
Poor mental healthcare, wages, housing are major problems
In his announcement video, Kristof highlighted his experiences growing up in Yamhill County. He said declining wages, unaffordable housing and poor mental healthcare are among the problems that need to be addressed. He said he wants to make
Oregon a place that understands that "being down on your luck should never be a death sentence."
Source: CBS News on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Oct 27, 2021
On Welfare & Poverty:
More than a quarter of childhood friends are dead
Kristof reminisced about how possibilities seemed endless when he and his childhood friends were growing up, "but today more than a quarter of those kids are dead and it's time to talk about why." He cited problems including unaffordable housing,
weak mental health support and inadequate education. Kristof said, "And it broke my heart when I returned from crises abroad only to find crises here at home and that's why I'm running for governor."
Source: The Oregonian on 2022 Oregon Gubernatorial race
Oct 27, 2021
Page last updated: Mar 09, 2024