Victory Fund candidates reap major newspaper endorsements

Mon, Oct 27th 2008, 11:02

Major newspapers from across the country have endorsed Victory Fund candidates, including The Boston Globe, The Oregonian and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The Oregonian on Kate Brown:

Sen. Kate Brown, a Portland Democrat, remains the clear choice for this job. Her leadership experience in the Legislature, as well as her law career and years working on state budgets and ethics reform, give her a solid foundation to be an excellent secretary of state.

The Tampa Tribune on Kevin Beckner:

Democrat Kevin Beckner would bring vision and sensitivity to this countywide job. A financial planner and former police officer, Beckner, 37, would move away from wedge issues and focus on real challenges — creating jobs, improving the transportation system, building parks and preserving endangered land. Beckner has commonsense ideas for jump-starting the local economy, making government more efficient and using mass transit to lessen the pain of high gas prices.

As important, Beckner also would change the tone. He wants to give the neighborhoods a bigger voice at County Center and open up the decisionmaking process. Beckner is a good listener. His respectful demeanor and businesslike approach could spare this board from making rash decisions. He also would raise the commission's ethical bar.

Inside Bay Area on Rebecca Kaplan:

It's not often in Oakland that one can actually get excited about any of the candidates running. The city desperately needs inspired, creative new leadership to help shake up the dysfunctional city leadership.

We believe that the energetic Kaplan, who would become the first openly gay woman to serve on the council, is just that person.

Las Vegas Review-Journal on Andrew Martin:

Mr. Martin ... has a record of helping taxpayers as a fraud examiner and a forensic accountant. The businessman wants to create a state Department of Accountability and use the investigative power of this office to make agencies "justify every dollar." The Review-Journal endorses Andrew Martin in District 13.

Tulsa World on Jim Roth:

There are a number of reasons wh y the word "incumbent" deserves to remain in the title of Democrat Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth. The most important reason is that Roth puts the interests of his constituents, who also happen to be the utility ratepayers of Oklahoma, first in matters before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

In June 2007, Roth was appointed by Gov. Brad Henry to the post vacated by Denise Bode. If elected Roth would fill the remaining two years of the six-year term. Two corporation commission positions are on the ballot Nov. 4. Incumbent commissioner Jeff Cloud, opposed by Charles Gray, is seeking his second term.

A popular Oklahoma County commissioner, Roth has turned in an exemplary performance so far in the new post, grasping the highly technical and far-reaching duties of the three-member commission whose rules and orders affect about two-thirds of the state's $100 billion economy.

Las Vegas Review-Journal on David Parks:

Mr. Parks is a dedicated, thoughtful lawmaker who takes a live-and-let-live approach when it comes to social issues. David Parks wins our endorsement.

The Desert Sun on Greg Rodriguez:

Rodriguez, 42, a nonprofit consultant, is extremely impressive on paper. He is also energetic, articulate a nd tenacious. The parent of a special-needs child, he was a member of the Washington State Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council until he moved to California in 2006. We like the fresh perspective he could bring to the job.

Hartford Courant on Beth Bye:

Beth Bye, 46, a West Hartford Democrat and former educator who is seeking a second term, is a thoughtful and effective lawmaker with a strong interest in education and the environment, but with an understanding that state programs cost money and must be effective. Her analysis of the $20 million early reading program resulted in $10 million being withdrawn pending better planning and evaluation.

On the environment, she has become one of the legislature's leading advocates for increased recycling, and has personally eschewed the use of plastic bottles.