Oregon House of Representatives District 12 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Oregon, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Oregon House of Representatives District 12 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

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• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Oregon House of Representatives District 12

Charlie Conrad defeated Michelle Emmons in the general election for Oregon House of Representatives District 12 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Charlie Conrad (R)	57.5	20,410
		Michelle Emmons (D / Independent Party)	42.4	15,073
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	40

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,523
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Charlie Conrad (R)

People come before politics - the government is there to enforce the rule of law, provide public goods, and maintain equal opportunities for everyone.

Taxes need to be spent wisely and which provide a positive return on investment for the tax payers.

The focus should be developing and providing opportunities for the working class - they are the backbone of our economy. This includes improving education so that our children will have opportunities when they join the working class.

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Strong Local Economies

Access to Healthcare, EMS, and Public Safety

Climate Resiliency and Sustainable Lands Management

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Charlie Conrad (R)

Public safety, education and supporting local businesses.

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Michelle is deeply passionate about ensuring equitable policies for all people. She is an advocate for clean air and water, and a strong voice for rural communities, with an emphasis on access to healthcare, housing, quality education, and expanding small business enterprise.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Charlie Conrad (R)

I am a student of the Stoics and work to exemplify the four Cardinal Virtues: Wisdom, Moderation, Courage, Justice

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Michelle believes integrity is the most important characteristic of leadership. She has a reputation for stepping up to the plate when no one else will, getting things done, and "doing the right thing when no one else is watching". She believes in people, not parties, and regularly seeks out differing perspectives before making important decisions. Michelle is a strong advocate for critical thinking and common sense - two attributes that make her extremely qualified for the position of State Legislator.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Charlie Conrad (R)

At its core, a State Representative needs to be engaged with the district and represent the people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Michelle has already left a legacy of stewardship and inclusivity behind in her work, connecting people to concepts of sustainability through postive experiences in the outdoors. She hopes to inspire young entreprenuers to follow their passions, and help develop the next generation of public land stewards. In the role of State Legislator, Michelle hopes to affect a political shift based in accountability and stronger representation for "ground up" policies.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Charlie Conrad (R)

I remember the Iran hostage crisis - very young.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Charlie Conrad (R)

I worked as an usher at a movie theater for about 6 months.

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

One of Michelle's first professional experiences included working for the Eugene downtown property owner's association as a marketing and advocacy director. During the seven years she was there, she helped to open up the declining pedestrian mall, influenced development incentives to help grow commercial real estate investments, and helped grow community engagment programming in downtown public spaces. Michelle's style as a direct communicator with a willingness to facilitate difficult conversations, earned her a reputation as a strong networking agent with an ability to keep projects moving forward.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Michelle doesn't dream of being anyone else, but if she could travel through time to any place in the world on a whim, she'd retire immediately from life as it is today!

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Michelle frequently conjures up a variety of soundtracks in her head during everyday activities. From AC/DC to RUFUS DU SOL - it's always a different tune.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Michelle's biggest hurdle is learning to say "no". While she understands the impossibility of being all things to all people, she still gives it her best every day.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Charlie Conrad (R)

The Governor and Legislature should work in concert to pass and enact legislation while maintaining the separation of powers, with each understanding their role and purpose. This requires engagement and energy by each branch to affect the will of the voters. The ability to discuss, compromise and enact effective and purposeful policies and legislation also requires mutual respect and emotional intelligence in order to put people first and set egos and personal agendas aside.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Charlie Conrad (R)

The continued challenge is bringing the voices of rural Oregonians to the legislature.

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Climate change is Oregon's greatest challenge moving forward, especially in terms of equitable access to clean air and water. Rising population, means more consumption; which manifests in increased resource extraction, exascerbating issues of who gets what, how much, and when. Additionally, unseasonably high temperatures or heavy bouts of precipitation between long periods of draught are already increasing incidents of wildfire and flooding. These disasters equate to rising homelessness and the need to focus more resources on climate resilency measures that will help protect infrastructure and ensure our citizens can recover after facing a major climate event. The State can also help ensure an easier transition to cleaner energy with increased workforce development and incentives for industries dependent on fossil fuels to move toward more energy efficient processes and equipment.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Charlie Conrad (R)

Prior experience is certainly beneficial, but not a requirement. The legislature benefits from diverse backgrounds and experiences. What is needed is the ability to learn how government operates and how it is different than the private sector, with the greatest asset being having a "systems mindset" - that is thinking of the government and society as a system and understanding how all the parts come together.

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Direct experience in political and/or governmental positions can be a double-edged sword for state legislators. As a new candidate running for office, one may bring fresh perspective and different ways of solving problems to an otherwise stale organizational approach. Many citizens do not feel like legislators listen to their concerns because they are too wrapped up in politics at a higher level to understand how to meet the needs of their constituents. A candidate new to the political playing field many have trouble navigating long held processes or forged alliances, but may be able offer a ground-up approach or alternative perspective that the party missed due to practices of "business as usual".

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Michelle Emmons (Democratic, Independent)

Appropriate redistricting boundaries should be based on fair representation for residents. Drawing these boundaries should take into consideration the geographical differences in population centers and areas with more dispersed populations and differences in land use designations. These boundaries will help legislators craft strong policies and balance the competition for resources between rural and urban areas.

See also

More about these elections:

• Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2022

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