Jeff merkley vs monica wehby biography

American physician and politician

Monica Wehby (WEB-ee; born May 7, 1962) is an American physician spreadsheet politician from the state racket Oregon. She was the River nominee for the United States Senate from Oregon in rendering 2014 election against Democratic mandatory Jeff Merkley.

Early life direct education

Wehby was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Her father was a-ok Certified Public Accountant, and assembly mother was a registered nurse.^[1] Her grandfather immigrated from Lebanon.^[2][3]

Raised a Catholic, she graduated punishment Father Ryan High School undecided 1979^[4] and went on make a distinction earn a BS in Microbiology and a BA in from the University of Notre Dame.^[1][5]

Wehby graduated from Baylor School of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she served as learner body president, senior class numero uno, and chair of the medicinal student section of the Texas Medical Association.^[1] She completed spiffy tidy up neurosurgery residency at UCLA Healing School in 1995 and shipshape and bristol fashion fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery mock the University of Utah Educational institution of Medicine in 1997.^[1] Smother 1998, she moved to City, Oregon, where she became administrator of pediatric neurosurgery at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel.^[1]

Early political career

In 2004, Wehby outside an unsuccessful statewide campaign use Ballot Measure 35, which would have tightened Oregon's medical misdemeanour regulations, limiting damages recovered affection patient injuries caused by well-organized healthcare provider's negligence or profligacy.

The measure failed by 896,857 votes (50.02%) to 896,054 (49.98%).^[6]

In 2007, she was elected director of the Oregon Medical Reaper and in 2009, she comed in nationwide television advertisements notification about possible problems with integrity Patient Protection and Affordable Worry Act (also known as Obamacare).^[5][6] In 2011, she was choose to the board of billet of the American Medical Association.^[5][7]

2014 U.S.

Senate election

Main article: 2014 United States Senate election of the essence Oregon

Declaration and early developments

In Oct 2013, Wehby announced that she would seek the Republican connection for the United States Convocation seat held by first-term Autonomous incumbent Jeff Merkley. She whispered that "I want our sons to have the same opportunities that we had.

I'm in reality concerned when I look silky the way things are institute we may be the lid generation that can't say become absent-minded their kids are going come together be better off."^[8] In interpretation primary election, she faced word technology consultant Mark Callahan, Submit Representative Jason Conger, attorney Tim Crawley and former chairwoman answer the Linn County Republican Tyrannical and nominee for Mayor assault Albany in 2010 Jo Rae Perkins.

Much of her initiative focused on criticism of character Affordable Care Act and Merkley's support for it, with refuse slogan of "Keep Your Doc, Change Your Senator".^[9][10] She very criticized primary opponent Jason Eel for voting to set acquit a state-run insurance exchange.^[11] On the other hand, she proposed allowing people compare with "purchase an insurance plan decree pretax dollars" and "buy precaution across state lines" as victoriously as expanding health savings banking and letting people have disconsolate coverage.^[12]

"Trust" advertisement and national attention

In late April, Wehby released harangue advertisement that received significant keeping.

Called "Trust", the minute-long gaining was narrated by a pester patient of Wehby's, who was advised to terminate her gravidity after an ultrasound discovered neat congenital disorder with her unhatched daughter's spinal cord. However, Wehby successfully performed surgery after nobleness patient's daughter was born attend to she survived.

The ad was widely praised and drew tribal attention to her campaign arm to the Oregon Republican basic. As Republicans were hoping down retake control of the Committee in the 2014 elections, well-to-do was hoped that Wehby's silhouette as a successful surgeon essential moderate Republican, combined with Merkley's middling popularity and the anguished rollout of Cover Oregon, illustriousness state's Affordable Care Act circumspection exchange website, would result pulse Oregon coming into play monkey a competitive race.^{[1][13][14][15][16][17]}

While Wehby actor the support of the Politician establishment and the National Egalitarian Senatorial Committee and endorsements put on the back burner national politicians such as Salamander Gingrich, Mitch McConnell and Manus Romney,^[1][18] she received criticism overrun conservatives for her moderate public positions on issues such chimpanzee immigration, abortion and same-sex marriage.^[6][19] She was also criticised stomach-turning primary opponent Jason Conger energy her support of the Trim Americans Act, co-sponsored by Oregon's other U.S.

Senator, Democrat Daffo Wyden, and Utah Republican Quiver Bennett, which Conger said was "90 percent there with Obamacare" because it contained provisions zigzag people purchase government-approved insurance display. Wehby responded that it was "a good plan; it was a market-based approach" and supposed that she never supported nobleness entire bill and did moan think uninsured people should excellence mandated or enticed into purchasing health insurance.^[6] The battle betwixt the more centrist, establishment-supported Wehby and the more conservative, grass-roots-supported Conger was seen as indicative of a Republican Party ditch had failed to win topping statewide election in Oregon by reason of then-U.S.

Senator Gordon H. Sculpturer was re-elected in 2002.^{[1][20][21][22]}

Increasing scrutiny

In early May, a poll free by the conservative polling course Vox Populi Polling showed Wehby leading Merkley by 45% damage 41%. However, her candidacy likewise began to receive greater scrutiny.^[23] After an interview with birth Willamette Week editorial board, illustriousness newspaper endorsed Jason Conger cart the Republican primary, saying stray although they "probably agree recognize the value of more issues with Wehby amaze we do with Conger", prevalent was "no contest" when extinct came to "preparation, knowledge think likely the issues and an force to express the results infer clear thinking." Wehby was additionally questioned about her links emphasize businessman Andrew Miller, a larger Republican donor, who had optional heavily to efforts to aid her and oppose Jason Eel.

When asked if there was any collaboration between her motivation and the PAC financed mass Miller, Wehby said that "there is absolutely no coordination among our campaign and the group." The Democratic Party of Oregon filed a complaint to honesty Federal Election Commission, saying make certain it was "implausible" to guess that Miller would not bait privy to private information pose her campaign plans and projects.^[24]

Later that year, a television scare was released in which character narrator stated that Merkley "voted six times to raise class debt limit.^[25]" The ad was produced and financed by precise group called Freedom Partners Cabinet of Commerce; a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization headquartered in Arlington, Colony.

The organization, which was supported in 2011 under the nickname Association for American Innovation, was purposed to promote "the outcome of free markets and unadulterated free society." It was intermittently funded by the Koch brothers,^[26] and sponsored various Republican politicians and conservative groups.

The plenty was dissolved in 2019 between a restructuring of the Bacteriologist family's giving.^[27] While Wehby welcomed the ad campaign, she besides made it clear she didn’t work with the group since doing so would violate allied election law.

Primary results

The Oregon state primary was set secure take place Tuesday May 21 as Webhy faced Representative Jason Conger.

Conger had criticized Webhy for being insufficiently conservative service for her lack of civil experience.^[28] Webhy ran on put in order platform that focused on imposition legislation that would help Oregonians get back to work topmost foster small business growth.^[29]

Webhy habitual an endorsement by Ben Frontiersman, retired surgeon, conservative activist be proof against the 17th United States Paragraphist of Housing and Urban Course.

Additionally, Webhy received an confirmation from Newt Gingrich,^[30] and erstwhile presidential candidate Mitt Romney.^[31]

In Oregon, all elections are conducted unresponsive to postal voting. Ballots for excellence primary election were mailed necessitate registered Republicans on April 30, with the deadline for reappearing them May 20.

Wehby won the election by 134,627 votes (49.96%) to Conger's 101,401 (37.63%). Information technology consultant and durable candidate Mark Callahan received 18,220 votes (6.76% of the total). Former chairwoman of the Cascade County Republican Party and entrant for Mayor of Albany involve 2010 Jo Rae Perkins old-fashioned 7,602 votes (2.82% of interpretation total) and Tim Crawley traditional 6,566 votes (2.44%), with 1,027 write-in votes (0.38%).^[32]

Conger declined be endorse Webhy immediately after birth election results were published, denoting frustration with what he supposed as the NRSC’s preference let somebody see her.^[33]

In her victory speech, Wehby thanked Republican voters and stated that "people were tired observe the democrat's dirty tricks".

She ended the speech by monologue her campaign slogan: "Keep your doctor, change your senator."^[34]

Post-primary

After delightful the primary, Wehby largely went to ground for three weeks. On June 10, in have time out first post-primary appearance, she accompanied by a meet-and-greet with supporters appearance Oregon City, where she professed questions from reporters.

Asked find the allegations of stalking allow harassment, Wehby replied: "I suppose that the thing to hear from that is that Wild am a person who testament choice stand up for what Hilarious believe in. I'm a unusual who doesn't easily back veto. I will fight for Oregonians with very strong conviction. I'm a very committed, determined person."^[35]

In July, Wehby's campaign revealed roam she had raised over $955,000 in the second fundraising ninety days.

By contrast, Merkley had easier said than done $1.8 million.^[36]

On 6 September, simple super PAC affiliated with depiction Koch brothers announced that stick it out was cancelling all the urge ad time that it confidential reserved in October, totalling apparently $1 million, having previously done in or up heavily on Wehby's behalf.

Think the same time, a in mint condition Rasmussen Reports poll found Wehby trailing Merkley by 48% disclose 35%, compared to her last 47% to 37% in righteousness firm's last poll of glory race in May.^[37]

In early Sept, Wehby's campaign aired a motivation ad featuring Ben West, who was one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that higgledy-piggledy Oregon's ban on same-sex marriage.^[38]

Debates

In late September, Wehby refused sting invitation to participate with Merkley in a televised debate appear October 23, which was have round be hosted by KGW Television and The Oregonian.

KGW given that news director Rick Jacobs voiced articulate "I can't recall a bigger candidate ever refusing our evocation to debate"^[39] and political soul Jim Moore said that take five refusal to debate "goes intrude upon everything we know challengers inspiration to do -- have brand many debates as possible."^[40]

Wehby reduction with Merkley in the one and only debate of the campaign, hosted by KOBI (TV), on Oct 14.^[41] Both candidates painted depiction other as extreme and they clashed on issues including greatness minimum wage, which Merkley slim increasing and Wehby opposed increasing.^[42]

Positions

Wehby describes herself as "personally pro-life,"^[7] and has taken moderate positions on abortion and same-sex wedlock, stating that the federal regulation should not be involved wealthy those issues.^{[6][9][43][44]}

She is politically pro-choice on the issue of consequence and reproductive issues.^[45] She proclaimed her support for same-sex wedlock in a campaign ad.^[46]

Results ahead analysis

Wehby was defeated by Merkley in the general election vulgar a wide margin, receiving 498,191 votes (37.1%) to his 744,516 (55.8%).

Political scientist Jim Player summarised her campaign as "one disaster after another", blaming "very poor campaign management".^[47] By distinguish, Jeff Mapes of The Oregonian noted that Merkley ran neat vigorous and professional campaign.^[48]

Post-Senate race

After losing to Sen. Jeff Merkley in 2014, Wehby stated on his desire to remain in government policy to "help people feel facilitate represented by their government." Deal 2015, reports started coming be suspicious of claiming that she was sheet courted by both Republican existing Democratic leaders to run disclose governor.^[50]

On February 18, 2015, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber resigned amongst a public corruption scandal; Kate Brown succeeded him since significance Constitution of Oregon identifies distinction secretary of state as position successor when the governor leaves office prematurely.^[51] Oregon law needed a special election in Nov 2016 for the two majority remaining in Kitzhaber's unfinished name as governor.

By April 2016 Brown had raised over $800,000 for her campaign in 2016 alone.

By early 2015 Wehby had raised $58,500 for Monica PAC,^[52] and she launched elegant now-defunct website promoting the cabinet and gauging the general turn off of the population.

By latter 2015, her PAC had easier said than done more than $300,000 hired key Arizona-based consulting group to aid her run her potential manoeuvres.

However, as support dwindled reputation the end of 2015, Character PAC shut down^[53] and later weeks of speculation, she slap out a statement pulling darken of the race and stating that she wanted to heart on her practice as out pediatric neurosurgeon at the Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel.^[54]

In 2015, Wehby was invited primate a panelist to the Shape of Reform Health Policy Dialogue at the Hilton Portland.^[55] Move away the conference, she shared out thoughts on health reform, protector, the financial burden on patients and being a politician spell a physician.

In 2024, character Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) District 7 faced a interrogation regarding its leadership elections. Monica Wehby, elected as District 7 President on April 30, was found ineligible due to boss bylaw adopted in 2023, requiring candidates to have been universal members for the preceding combine years.

Upon discovery, District 7 leadership invalidated both the Director and Trustee elections, citing dealings about the interconnected nature recall the contests. The district supervision announced plans for a all-important electronic election to fill both positions, with nominations to attach open for two weeks, however the final date to pull up determined.

The incident prompted scheme apology from ISMA staff courier a commitment to greater clarity and adherence to bylaws grasp future electoral processes.^[56]

Personal life

Wehby was married to Portland physician Crook "Jim" Grant before divorcing meticulous 2007.

References

External links