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Heather Ricks
Heather Ricks (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the Oregon House of Representatives to represent District 49. She lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Ricks completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Ricks obtained a B.A. in communications from Russell Sage College. She also attended post-graduate study in television-radio-film at Syracuse University. Ricks is a freelance writer with a background in search editorial for Yahoo! She previously worked in office and studio management.[1]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Oregon House of Representatives District 49
Incumbent Chris Gorsek defeated Justin Hwang and Heather Ricks in the general election for Oregon House of Representatives District 49 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Chris Gorsek (D) | 51.3 | 11,045 |
 | Justin Hwang (R) | 44.8 | 9,658 | |
 | Heather Ricks (L)  | 3.8 | 826 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 21 | ||
| Total votes: 21,550 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 49
Incumbent Chris Gorsek advanced from the Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 49 on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Gorsek | 100.0 | 2,700 |
| Total votes: 2,700 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 49
Justin Hwang advanced from the Republican primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 49 on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Justin Hwang | 100.0 | 1,553 |
| Total votes: 1,553 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
I am running for office to make my community better. My experience living in other cities has shown me some of the positive and negative consequences of quick expansion, and I would like to bring that knowledge to issues that now face East Multnomah County. Issues of housing insecurity, rental prices rising, and barriers to entry in entrepreneurship are at the top of my concerns for District 49. Is there anything you would like to add? I want to be your voice in local government, so that you can be heard in Salem. What has worked somewhere else may not work here, let's work together to find solutions from District 49 for District 49. [2] |
” |
| —Heather Ricks[1] | ||
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Heather Ricks participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on August 9, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Heather Ricks's responses follow below.[3]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | Housing insecurity, barriers to entrepreneurship, and job creation.[4][2] | ” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | I am very passionate about the housing issues affecting our area. After experiencing the nightmare of NYC rentals, I don't want to see that happen to the area I call home. The population here has boomed, and instead of working together to find solutions that work for our area, I see politicians jumping on ideas that have failed in other places. I want to see safe, affordable housing for residents of District 49.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[2]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Heather Ricks answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| “ | I have many people I've looked up to over the years, it's hard to pick just one. I'll list a few people I look up to and why.
My husband has taught me so much about the value of my time and shows me daily how intentional he is with his. My mother is someone who always believes people can be the best version of themselves, and loves people others might find unlovable. My father questions everything he is told, and taught me to always question why I was doing what I was doing. I also look up to actresses like Gillian Anderson, Teri Hatcher, Sandra Bullock, and Kristen Bell who use their platforms to do good whenever possible. Katharine Hepburn and Myrna Loy were unapologetically themselves in a Hollywood that didn't want them to be, and I really respect that. Many of the people I look up to are women that I've known over the years who are trying to make the world better through the way they live; classmates who have gotten PhDs to further research on cancer or vaccines, or working in national security positions, or working on college campuses worldwide... People that others may never meet, but that will feel the impact of their decisions and work.[2] |
” |
| “ | Have you seen Parks and Rec? Mix Leslie Knope's enthusiasm and persistence with a watered down and less cartoonish version of Ron Swanson and I'm probably somewhere in there.[2] | ” |
| “ | I think a commitment to honesty and transparency is important in an elected official. Also, elected office is meant to be the voice of the people in government. To me, that means voting for things I may personally disagree with if I know my constituents are overwhelmingly behind it.[2] | ” |
| “ | I like to listen to people and I like to collaborate. I think both of those are important when you are trying to work with others for a common goal of serving the people you represent.[2] | ” |
| “ | I think the core responsibilities of being a representative are to work for the good of the constituents in your district, and to listen to their voice. That means meeting with as many of them as you can regularly, and understanding the ideas they express through their words and actions.[2] | ” |
| “ | I would just love for people to think I effected their life positively. I try to live in a way that my legacy will be, "She made my life better."[2] | ” |
| “ | While I remember writing to Mrs. Bush before this, and talking about policy with my father, the first historical event I remember was the Gulf War. I was 7.[2] | ” |
| “ | I worked at an Izzy's. I was a hostess, busser, and substitute waitress. I worked there for a little over a year, starting Fall of my senior year of high school.[2] | ” |
| “ | I didn't date much. Probably having to cancel a date to meet up with one of my parents.[2] | ” |
| “ | I have always loved the 4th of July, because I LOVE fireworks displays. I also really like Halloween because you get to dress up, and Christmas if there is snow I get to play in.[2] | ” |
| “ | This is like asking someone who their favorite child is. I haven't met much by Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, HG Wells, or C.S. Lewis that I didn't like.[2] | ” |
| “ | I used to think it would be someone like Lois Lane or Dana Scully; some woman who was tough and awesome and didn't just let life happen to her, she went out and got her goals! I'm having a hard time coming up with anyone though, I rather like the life I have currently. I still strive for my goals, so maybe still one of them.[2] | ” |
| “ | It's weird to call them "things", but my favorite bits about my home are my husband and my cats. They are my family, and I just enjoy the comfort that comes from the loving feeling of being home with them all.[2] | ” |
| “ | Probably something by Taylor Swift. Or the Fraggle Rock theme song, it just randomly pops into my head sometimes and I have no idea why.[2] | ” |
| “ | I'm from a pretty humble beginning in a family that was pretty dysfunctional. I had an experience with someone who thought what they wanted was more important than me.
I'm a product of my struggles, and while I don't love talking about them, I know I'm who I am because I lived through them, it's why I like this Katharine Hepburn quote: "Life is hard, after all, it kills you."[2] |
” |
| “ | There are half as many Senators as there are Representatives in the House, so I think the main difference is the House is able to give more individualized attention to the area they serve. That said, I think they both have the same function of serving the people and what they want.[2] | ” |
| “ | I think this can be beneficial, but is also not critical. Sometimes a new pair of eyes who doesn't know not to ask a question can help solve a problem.[2] | ” |
| “ | This state has to figure out how to deal with the urban population boom in a way that doesn't negatively affect the rural areas that make up most of Oregon.[2] | ” |
| “ | They should be working together to solve the problems of the state.[2] | ” |
| “ | Yes! How can anything get done if everyone is fighting with one another. While not everyone has to like each other, they should be able to have a positive working relationship with each other.[2] | ” |
| “ | I like a bi-partisan or non-partisan committee. I'd like to see some kind of oversight to check for issues within that system though. It seems the most fair and the most likely not to have gerrymandering.[2] | ” |
| “ | I would be interested in the House Committees on Business and Labor, Human Services and Housing, Revenue, and Veterans and Emergency Preparedness.[2] | ” |
| “ | Were I to be elected, I would be interested in leadership in the future. I'd want to see the roles in action before deciding on what ones I'm drawn to. As a minor party candidate, I think one of the few offices I could strive for is Speaker of the House.[2] | ” |
| “ | I don't think I have one legislator I really hold above others, I'd be a Frankenstein's monster made of bits of different people.
I would like to be the kind of legislator who does what they think is right, like Teddy Roosevelt; while listening to input from those I know are better informed or I respect like John Adams. I admire the leaderships style of Secretary of Defense Mattis, as well as former First Lady Barbara Bush's ability to make people feel heard. I think my party affiliation is a good depiction of what I admire in legislators: independence with acknowledgment we have to work together, and strength that comes for willingness to hear what people want for their own lives.[2] |
” |
| “ | Yes. As a child I wanted to be the first female president, so I'm open to most offices available.[2] | ” |
| “ | Unfortunately, the ones that have made the biggest impact are the same story with many voices. Multiple elderly people have told me about housing insecurity issues. My mother lives in a community that is income based for those who cannot afford rent in the area, and most in the building are on public assistance. I have heard stories of people waiting for years to get into income based housing, and my mother's caseworker told her a nursing home would be preferable to the public housing here. It breaks my heart to see elderly, disabled, and mentally ill neighbors dealing with these issues.[2] | ” |
See also
- State legislative elections, 2018
- Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Oregon House of Representatives
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form on August 7, 2018
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Heather Ricks's responses," August 9, 2018
