PORTLAND, Ore. - Despite monetary support from the CU Association of Oregon, Oregon State Senator and former CU board member Rick Metsger was defeated in the Democratic primary election for Oregon Secretary of State.
Metsger, who was one of four Democrats in the primary, received more than $12,000 from the CUAO’s Political Action Committee. The association said he has been an “advocate” for CUs throughout his career.
CUs still have a chance to get a supporter into the Secretary of State office, according to Pamela Leavitt, CUAO’s SVP-governmental affairs and public relations. Leavitt described Democratic nominee Kate Brown, who also is an Oregon State Senator, as a “credit union friend.”
“Rick had been our go-to person in the state legislature,” said Leavitt. “He got his start in credit unions, and we spoke to the other candidates for the primary and they understood why we were supporting him. We gave the others a small financial contribution.
“We will support Kate Brown in the general election in November,” she added.
One positive for CUs, Leavitt said, is “Rick Metsger goes back to the Oregon State Senate and will continue to support credit unions in that position.” Leavitt said Kurt Schrader, another Oregon state senator and CU supporter, won the Democratic primary for the 5th Congressional District. She said the CUAO will be supporting Schrader in the November election.
Metsger served on the board of what then was known as Portland Teachers Credit Union [now OnPoint Community CU]. The former television journalist also was on the board of Mount Hood FCU, which serves those in the radio and TV industries.
Metsger first was elected to the Oregon Senate in 1998. As chair of the Senate Business Committee, Metsger was instrumental in helping pass what the CUAO said was “credit union priority legislation” during the most recent two legislative sessions. He currently chairs the Interim Senate Committee on Transportation, serves on the Senate Interim Committee on Education and is the Senate appointee to the State Debt Policy Advisory Committee chaired by the State Treasurer.
“He led our state field of membership bill several years ago,” Leavitt said. “He has been the primary sponsor of most credit union legislation in the Oregon State Senate, including field of membership, member business lending, public funds and general modernization of regulation.”(c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved.http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com
