Candidate: George V. Eighmey Home: Portland, Oregon Profession: Attorney Office Sought: Oregon House of Representatives Primary Date: May 17, 1994 General Election: November 8, 1994 George V. Eighmey for Oregon State Representative Openly gay Portland attorney and activist George Eighmey was appointed to the Oregon State House of Representatives in May of 1993. His appointment followed the November 1992 defeat of Measure 9, the infamous anti-gay initiative sponsored by the Oregon Citizen's Alliance (OCA). Since that time the OCA has sponsored a number of anti-gay local initiatives in communities where Measure 9 received a majority of "yes" votes. But, because of legislation that Eighmey helped pass, those initiatives cannot be enforced.Undaunted, OCA leaders plan to place another state-wide anti-gay initiative on the November 1994 ballot. We need to keep George Eighmey in the Oregon House of Representatives where he can use his experience and skills to stop the OCA's Sherman- like march through Oregon. The Campaign Eighmey has gotten an early start and is mobilizing his forces to win the May 17 primary. Oregon Primaries are held in May and approximately 30 percent of the registered voters vote. Based upon previous elections, 9,000 to 10,000 voters will cast their ballots in the District 14 primary, of whom 6,000 will be Democrats. The winner of the Democratic primary has been the winner in the general election in the past ten elections. Eighmey will be able to maintain that winning streak if he wins his primary race against his yet unannounced opponent. Early money will give Eighmey an edge and help keep potential opponents out of the race. Eighmey has already begun door-to-door canvassing of his district, sent out 24,500 newsletters to his constituents and held several town meetings. He has received high ratings for his legislative performance from the AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, Oregon State Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG), Oregon Education Assn (OEA), National Organization for Women (NOW), Rainbow Coalition and other legislators and community leaders. The Candidate Eighmey has been a practicing attorney for twenty years and, prior to moving to Oregon in 1983, he was a member of the Urbana Illinois City Council and the managing partner of a major law firm. In Oregon, Eighmey has served on the Portland City Variance Committee, the Portland City Adjustment Committee, and the Portland City Advisory Commission's Fire and Rescue board. A dedicated community activist, Eighmey is a member of the Ladd's Addition Neighborhood Association, Friends of Trees of Portland and Friends of Ladd's Addition Rose Gardens, a subscribing member to the Gay Men's Chorus and the Cascade AIDS Network, and a participant in the Volunteer Lawyers Project. The District House District 14 is an entirely urban district with over 31,000 registered voters. Most of the district is in inner Southeast Portland, an area known for its acceptance, political activism and diversity. The majority of the population is white, but there are substantial numbers of Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and African-Americans. The residents of District 14 come from a variety of economic backgrounds with high concentrations of laborers, college students and public employees. Almost half of the residents rent their homes. Democrats outnumber all other parties and Independents outnumber Republicans by almost 3 to 2. Working for the Gay and Lesbian Community George Eighmey has long been a visible and vocal worker for gay and lesbian rights. He is a member and the treasurer of the Oregon Gay and Lesbian Law Association, an organization which fights for the civil rights of all lesbians and gay men in the state. He served as the chair of the board and as chair of the fundraising committee of OUR HOUSE of Portland, a residential care facility for people living with AIDS. As a legislator, Eighmey fought for legislation to guarantee civil rights for gays and lesbians and he helped pass the legislation stalling the implementation of the OCA's local anti-gay initiatives. During the campaign to defeat Measure 9, Eighmey spoke against the Measure throughout the state on television and radio, and before PTAs, Kiwanis Clubs, church groups and high school classes. His noncombative oratory style helped promote a positive image of the gay and lesbian community and his community and legislative activities have made him a role model for the whole community, especially young lesbians and gays who may be struggling with their orientation. Eighmey is the attorney for the Bosco-Milligan Foundation, a historic preservation group funded by the estates of two gay men who died of AIDS in 1988 and who were represented by Eighmey during the final days of their lives. He is also a member of the Portland Area Business Association (PABA), an organization formed to promote lesbian and gay owned businesses. His tireless efforts on behalf of the gay and lesbian community have earned him high praise from many organizations, including the Oregon Speak Out Project, an educational group Eighmey assisted in forming with the stated goal of promoting a positive image of gays and lesbians throughout Oregon. He has received praise from his legislative colleagues presenting a positive image of his community and for standing up for the rights of all underrepresented people. Can He Win? Eighmey is a Democrat in a district where the winner of the Democratic primary historically wins the general election. Because House District 14 is known to embrace diversity and social liberalism, the fact that Eighmey is openly gay will work to his advantage. Having been appointed to the seat midway through the legislative session, Eighmey is also technically the incumbent. He therefore he has the advantages of incumbency including press coverage and some name recognition within the district. One of Eighmey's expected and most powerful opponents in the primary is a woman who is very active in the labor movement. She does not have the advantage of incumbency and has lost some time because she has not filed her intent to run for the seat. The longer she delays her announcement the more time Eighmey has to raise money and to knock on doors. Early money in this race is very important to ensure Eighmey's victory in the May primary. Why George Eighmey's Election Matters to You. Despite the defeat of Measure 9, the Oregon Citizen's Alliance continues its campaign against gays and lesbians, putting Oregon at the forefront of the battle for gay and lesbian civil rights. The OCA's tactics and strategies are being replicated by right-wing groups all over the United States. Although there are now three openly gay and lesbian members of the Oregon Legislature, their presence is offset by the fact that the House is controlled by ultra-conservatives, many of whom have ties with or are sympathetic to the OCA. George Eighmey's election to the House will strengthen our forces in the fight for gay and lesbian civil rights and will force those members of the legislature who would rather ignore the issue of gay and lesbian civil rights to face it head-on. Oregon must continue to defeat the likes of the OCA and we need people like George Eighmey at the table to succeed. WHY YOUR CONTRIBUTION MATTERS Oregon's gay and lesbian community is one of the most organized and active in this country. Unfortunately, the strains of fighting the OCA on all fronts has drastically reduced their fundraising ability for political campaigns. In a district known for political activism, early money can make a campaign and help an outstanding candidate like George Eighmey stand out from an often-crowded platform of serious and not-so-serious candidates. If Eighmey receives enough early money to increase his name recognition, he will be able to dissuade some likely opponents from entering the primary race. With a win in the primary, Eighmey will have the momentum necessary for victory in the general election. To Support George Eighmey Make your checks payable to: Committee to Elect George Eighmey And mail them to: The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund 1012 14th Street, N.W., Suite 707 Washington, DC 20005 There are no contribution limits in this race. Paid for by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and authorized by the Committee to Elect George Eighmey.