(Update: Adding Buehler video, Phil Henderson comments)
‘I just couldn’t take it anymore’, said the former state deputy
BEND, Oregon. (KTVZ) – Former state deputy and Republican candidate for governor, Knute Buehler de Bend, explained to NewsChannel 21 on Tuesday why he is among the more than 6,000 Republicans in Oregon who left the party last month and 11,000 since the November election.
“The events in January were deeply disturbing to me, starting with President Trump’s questioning of the election and trying to often strengthen Republican-elected office holders to change election results,” he said. “And then the encouragement of the attack on the Capitol.”
“The final straw was really the Oregon Republican State Committee resolution, alleging a conspiracy theory – a debunked conspiracy theory – about this ‘false flag’ operation, and that the far left was really responsible for the attack on the Capitol “added Buehler.
“I just couldn’t take it anymore,” he said. “It just isn’t responsible. And if that’s the kind of resolution – I don’t know what a Republican really means anymore.”
Buehler, like many of those who changed their registration, moved into the category of non-affiliated voters, which has increased by more than 10,000 across the state since the election. Democratic ranks have also fallen by nearly 8,500 since the election.
The former state deputy, long regarded as moderated by some and RINO (Republican only in name) by his critics, said he had ended his involvement in politics.
“I never saw politics as a career,” he said. “I am an orthopedic surgeon by training. I saw my political involvement as a service. After six years, this service is done. I think that’s enough time.
“But I will be happy to help other worthy candidates who really want to solve big problems for real people. I don’t care if these are Republican candidates, independent or non-affiliated candidates, or even Democratic candidates, if they are really interested in solving real problems. . “
“Of course, they have to be faithful to the principles I believe in: freedom, the rule of law, defense of the Constitution, offering opportunities for people.”
“I don’t believe in blind loyalty to any party or person, even to the president,” he said. “I said that since the beginning of my political involvement. I am true to my principles. … nothing has changed about it. “
“In an old Ronald Reagan saying, ‘I didn’t leave the party, the party left me,'” said Buehler. “I no longer know what it means to be a Republican, certainly in this state.”
“I feel that both parties have not governed well in the past two decades,” said Buehler. “There have been radical changes in our country, which has left many people perplexed and we need to be aware of that.
“I think it’s something that President Trump recognized,” he said. “Unfortunately, his leadership style and his approach were simply not able to help these people. And I think that is why we see so much discord now.”
NewsChannel 21 also contacted Deschutes County Commissioner and Republican President Phil Henderson on Tuesday about recent voter registration changes.
“It looks like a lot of the people leaving the party were in the Portland area – Washington County and a few other places,” he said. I don’t think this is a trend in Deschutes County until now.
“But as people change parties after the elections,” said Henderson. “I think people were disappointed that they didn’t win. People were disappointed with how the campaign went. I think it was a very volatile political year.”