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Keenan Casavant

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This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Keenan Casavant
Image of Keenan Casavant

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments
Last election

May 19, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Columbia Southern University, 2014

Graduate

Columbia Southern University, 2016

Personal
Birthplace
Portland, Ore.
Profession
Firefighter and business consultant
Contact

Campaign website

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Keenan Casavant (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Oregon House of Representatives to represent District 35. He lost in the Democratic primary on May 19, 2020.

Casavant completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Keenan Casavant was born in Portland, Oregon. He studied to become an EMT at Lower Columbia College, earned a bachelor's degree in fire science from Columbia Southern University in November 2014, and earned an M.B.A. from Columbia Southern University in March 2016. As of the 2020 primary, Casavant was also pursuing a Ph.D. in economics and public policy from Liberty University. His professional experience includes working as a firefighter and in business consulting. Casavant has served as a member of the American Economic Association.[1]

Elections

2020

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Oregon House of Representatives District 35

Dacia Grayber defeated Bob Niemeyer in the general election for Oregon House of Representatives District 35 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dacia Grayber
Dacia Grayber (D / Working Families Party) Candidate Connection
 
67.1
 
26,473
Image of Bob Niemeyer
Bob Niemeyer (R)
 
32.7
 
12,893
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
71

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 39,437
Candidate Connection = 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.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 35

Dacia Grayber defeated Keenan Casavant in the Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 35 on May 19, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dacia Grayber
Dacia Grayber Candidate Connection
 
92.8
 
10,475
Image of Keenan Casavant
Keenan Casavant Candidate Connection
 
6.8
 
768
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
49

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 11,292
Candidate Connection = 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 35

Bob Niemeyer advanced from the Republican primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 35 on May 19, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Bob Niemeyer
Bob Niemeyer
 
98.3
 
3,937
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.7
 
69

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 4,006
Candidate Connection = 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

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Keenan Casavant completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Casavant's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a conservative democrat making a stand in 2020 not to sell my vote to special interests and finally represent the people. As we head into 2020, it's time to finally do something about the status quo and actually vote for what people want!
  • Transparency in who we vote for.
  • Accurate representation of everyone, not just special interests.
  • Control government costs and reform our pension.
One of our biggest issues we face is the continuing pension crisis. Surely not a crisis for those close to retirement in public service or legislature, but for our kids and those of us (like me) who are expected to pickup the tab. We need to fund our roads, our schools - but - also take a real look on the long-term outcome of Oregon's finances. I also want to make sure we actually have a goal in mind with our 'green' initiatives and not just pass legislation that harms small business but lets our biggest employers walk away with no consequence.

I also am passionate about reform. Even as a proud Democrat, the status quo we've put in place in Oregon needs to end.
My previous captain and friend of many years, Josh Thalacker. His leadership style is impeccable - the kind of person who leads from the center and was perhaps the best mentor I ever had. Many leaders in structure and wildland fire wield his influence. Perhaps why he is followed is that he legitimately wants what is best for people and has never been on the quest for recognition or power.

Probably second (as cliche as it sounds) is my son, Rylee. Though he is about to be 12, the lessons I have learned being his dad I can never forget. As a single father, it's been just the two of us over the last 10 years. I've seen this kid stand up for the vulnerable and do just the most incredible things. He is a reminder that everything will be okay. So, I look up to my little man as he looks up to me.
Well, I've been fortunate enough to form my own opinion of myself as a Democrat. Not sure what would help form that, but if you REALLY want to get the top of what has led me to form my political views (aside from what I have seen) may I recommend the following reads:

Why Are We Bad at Picking Bad Leaders?: A Better Way to Evaluate Leadership Potential - by Jeffery Cohn
The Smartest Guys in the Room - by Bethany McLean & Peter Elkind
Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics - by Dr. Richard Thaler
Fault Lines - By Dr. Raghuram Rajan
State and Revolution - Vladamier Lenin (Yes, that one)
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness - by Dr. Richard Thaler
Progress and Poverty: An Inquiry into the Cause of Industrial Depressions and of Increase of Want with Increase of Wealth

I like to think I am of complex mind. Most of my thoughts are shaped at the realities of business influence, poor voting on behalf of many people and what happens if you could do good in the world as well.
Integrity. That is alaways touted but never seen.
Integrity, leadership, strategy and complete comprehensive understanding of policy.
REPRESENT THE PEOPLE!!!! NOT JUST UNIONS, GUNS AND BUSINESSES. These make up a tiny fraction of your true constituent base.
We finally elected someone to represent normal people.
I've had many life experiences. As a child from poverty, you're often burdened with such stories. However, I like to remember the day my son was born (he was a very sick child in the womb) and that was when I was 20, in 2008!
Northwest Youth Corps when I was 14-16 years old. This is what gave me my footing in wildland fire.
Where the Red Fern Grows. Indeed a favorite since I was a little boy. This book I try to read once every few years as it is about a boy with perseverance in the fate of poverty, his dogs, and his grandpa! Such a classic.
Not entirely sure. Perhaps Sherlock Holmes! Oh, how fun it would be to solve problems.
So, I have been on a bit of an Alice In Chains kick and recently found some of their new stuff to be alright. Look, I know nobody can replace Paul Stanley but the album 'Dinosaurs Where Put Here by the Devil' was actually pretty good. That said, it has to be Stone by Alice In Chains.
At this point, it would be an extensive network of wealthy and well connected people to business. As I have navigated this process, I am seeing first hand that if you enter the world without these connections, you chance of success is minimal and that is just absurd. Aside from that, being a single dad. There is nothing easy about raising a family alone, and I have a mass of respect and understanding for our growing population of people dealing with what I did.
Well, having two chambers certainly reduces the efficiencies of governance - though as a scholar of public policy, I can say that I very much believe in it at the federal level. As for the differences... it's our house.


Our representatives (in theory) have to represent THAT district they are in. While it unfortunately seldom happens these days, I love the aspect that the local representative is accountable to that local district.
Absolutely not. Quite the contrary, and I believe firmly is a sizable chunk of the problem. You see, over time politicians tend to pass just enough legislation not to anger their base and in seeps the income and influence of special interest groups. Sometimes inexperienced folks truly want to represent their people and have no pre-conceived notions how other than a will to do so.

However, as legislators advance (from local and state to, say, federal) then yes, I do support that. What is critical (once again) is that these folks are actually accountable to people other than their donors.
What an interesting question. When I look at the legislative progress, I think that the struggle to work together is supreme. With walkouts and media-frenzied events at the capital becoming normal... this distracts us from being able to actually do our jobs. Just because we have an independent, a democrat and a republican in a room does not mean we cannot reach a logical solution for policy. Too often I have heard the rhetoric of our elected officials only voting along a specified party line. Well, I am here to say that while that is admirable, that doesn't always work. As our younger generation begins to assume power, I look forward to seeing our legislatures actually passing legislation and not having a 'bigger ballot' contest.

Secondly, I would say truly that we have to come to grips with income inequality. It's an easy soundbite for now, but it really has the potential to disrupt not only politics, but how bills are passed and funded. Virtually everything we do tends to dictate from wealthy legislatures whose voter base ultimately pays the tab for. What happens when we literally cannot afford the legislation being enacted?

Third is our pension. This has been the prime reason I have turned down particular endorsements and I hope is answered. Oregon has one of the most generous pension packages in the United States. That is wonderful... except... what happens when the math cannot support the payments? Simple. Our tax payers will be on the hook while those collecting will be thankful they never had to pay the true cost. We must address this issue before it starts to stifle our taxes.
First name basis is nice. But, we must remember the separation of powers are there for a reason - not for favors.
Absolutely. In my years of leadership, things never got done without interpersonal relationships.
Oh! Fun one! I would love to be apart of small business councils, healthcare initiatives and those that reflect the needs of our kids. Remember, these committees should be doing what is best for our future, not just for them.
They can get things done. Period.
Not sure. I have interacted with a lot of good folks but think that is a question to ask once in office to ensure it's what reflects best for Tigard's voters.
No.
Yes. Congress.
Yes. Many, particularly the almost hidden latino community here and owners of our small businesses that seem to be overlooked because they have less than 30 employees.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Footnotes

  1. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 12, 2020


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