THANK YOU SUPPORTERS!

To All My Supporters and Friends,

I cannot express enough the deep appreciation I have for all of you who have stood beside me in this race which just concluded.  

Congratulations to Congresswoman-elect Suzanne Bonamici and her team.  I wish her well as she heads to Washington to represent what I believe is the best district in the country — and one which deserves strong, bold leadership.

For now, please watch my comments below from Election Night.  And know how grateful I am for all we’ve done together during this journey.

Rob

Remarks Prepared for Delivery

JANUARY 31, 2012

I’m living proof that anyone can run for Congress.  But to run a respected, well-fought campaign, you have to have the best staff and volunteers possible.  And I do!

Yes, in case you’re wondering, I’m disappointed.  I was hopeful going in that we’d be able to reason with the voters and show them a better way to create jobs in this state and our country.

Along the way, perhaps the biggest disappointment is that those who opposed me found it necessary to try and undo all the good that small businesses like mine accomplish in our state.

My wife and I have employed 60 people, and helped hundreds more launch profitable careers around the country.  We’ve welcomed discouraged job-seekers into our door, and after a little bit of time training them and introducing them to industry, we’ve seen them leave with the joy and self-worth a new job brings.

But voters got a different story about the work that I do, and that’s unfortunate.  Not just for me, but for all small businesses who are doing the very thing we need more of in this state: taking risks, investing, and giving people a better future.

Do people like me in small businesses make honest mistakes?  Of course we do.

Regardless, since small businesses employ 70% of our country’s workforce, we need to do more to help them be successful so they can start hiring again.  That means simplifying the tax code, getting rid of unreasonable regulations and government mandates.  If we don’t, we’ll continue to see unemployment numbers that leave Americans without hope and our kids with fewer opportunities.

Another matter that must be addressed: Divisive language wasn’t limited to just the topic of my well-regarded business.   Over the course of this campaign, those who adamantly opposed me tried to paint me as someone who does not stand up for or support women.  In my personal life, in my professional life, in the charities I choose to volunteer for, in the people I have hired over the years, I have always stood up for women, and particularly women who have fallen on hard times.  Anyone who convinced you otherwise has misled you.
Now, perhaps most importantly, if you’ll allow me, I’d like to turn my attention to those whose future we should be most concerned about.  I’d like to talk to the kids watching tonight.

A lot of people – old and young – say they don’t like politics.  They think it’s just a bunch of adults yelling at each other and trying to make the other person look bad.  Whether it’s right or wrong, adults do get pretty excited when they feel deeply about something or when they think someone else’s opinion is wrong or hurtful to the rest of us.

Someday, maybe you’ll feel strongly enough about something that you’ll do all you can – perhaps as a candidate or a volunteer – to make sure others either do something — or don’t do something — to make your town or state or country better.

That’s what I did.  I never thought I’d run for the US Congress.  But when I decided that others weren’t acting responsibly or were just behaving badly, my wife and I decided to leave the activities of our business and our private life and spend our time persuading others that there is a better way.

So, young people, you need to know this: Though I lost an election tonight, I’m still committed to doing all I can to convince adults that we need to make you our first priority.

Imagine how it’d feel if you went to a restaurant with all your relatives and when it’s time to go home, your grandparents and aunts and uncles and mom and dad told the waiter that YOU were going to pay the bill – and simply said to you, “We’ll be out in the car.”  That’s what will happen in real life if we grown-ups don’t start making some tough decisions.

That’s why I decided to run for Congress.  That’s why politics is important.  Whether or not you want to keep away from politics, politics will not stay away from you.

So, young people, I encourage you to be aware; follow what’s happening; and ask a lot of questions.  We adults have to work together to fix this fix we’re in.  And though you can’t vote for the people in Congress, I hope they’ll be voting for you!

When I was young growing up in Tigard and Newberg, I was inspired by the examples of two great Oregon Republicans, Mark Hatfield and Vic Atiyeh.  While we lost Sen. Hatfield last year, I’m honored to call Gov. Atiyeh a “close friend and mentor.”  He couldn’t be with us tonight, but I know he’s home watching.

While I may never be in their class, I can still do my best to emulate their examples of compassion, creativity, and courage.  Young people, find someone you admire, watch them, and do your best to act as they act.

In closing, I hope our new congresswoman will represent this entire district.  If her experience was like mine, this campaign taught her that Oregonians are tired of the games in Washington; tired of the tone deafness to our problems; and fed up with broken promises, or a Congress that continues to make promises they can’t keep.

For those who voted for me, thank you for taking a chance on a small business owner from Tualatin.

And now that this campaign is over, I hope we’ll put aside the term “opponent” and see each other as neighbors, fellow Oregonians, and partners in trying to do our best for our state, ourselves, and our children.  If we don’t abide by this uniquely American principle, how can we ever expect our elected leaders to?

Thank you!  God bless each of you, and may God continue to bless our United States of America.

VOTE! FIND BALLOT DROP BOXES HERE!

Beaverton, OR. – With the January 31st deadline to receive ballots approaching quickly, many voters want to know how to locate their nearest official ballot drop box.  Friday the  27th is probably the last safe day to mail your ballot in time for the election on the 31st.  In order to encourage voting, we ask you to please click the link below, which will take you to the Secretary of State’s interactive map of ballot drop sites.  See further below the link for a textual list of drop boxes in the 1st District.

Interactive map link: http://www.sos.state.or.us/dropbox/#

REMEMBER: Ballots received after 8pm Tuesday January 31, 2012 will not be counted in this election.

If you are a registered voter AND have not received a ballot, you must go in person to your county elections office to resolve it and obtain a ballot.

For this and other questions about your ballot or for a list of county elections offices, please go to http://www.oregonvotes.org/pages/voterresources/clerk.html

To check your voter registration status or to see if your vote has been received already by the Elections Office, go to www.OregonVotes.org and click on the link under “My Vote” or click on the link below:

https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/showVoterSearch.do?lang=eng&so…

Please note that the “My Vote” page usually only shows the status of ballots received at least a day or two after a voter physically turns in their ballot.  Add a day or two more if you mailed your ballot.  For more questions, please contact your county elections office directly.

LIST OF DROP BOX LOCATIONS

Washington County

Banks

• Banks Library: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Beaverton

• Beaverton Library: Normal Business Hours, until 8pm on Election Day
• Service Center East: Until 8pm on Election Day
• Washington County Elections: Normal Business Hours, until 8pm on Election Day

 

Cornelius

• Cornelius City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Forest Grove

• Forest Grove City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Hillsboro

• Hillsboro Library Main Branch: Until 8pm on Election Day
• Public Services Building: Until 8pm on Election Day
• Hillsboro Library Shute Park Branch: Normal Business Hours, until 8pm on Election Day

 

King City

• King City – City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

North Plains

• North Plains City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Portland

• Cedar Mill Library: Normal Business Hours, until 8pm on Election Day
• Garden Home Library: Normal Business Hours, until 8pm on Election Day
• West Slope Library: Normal Business Hours, until 8pm on Election Day

 

Sherwood

• Sherwood City Hall: until 8pm on Election Day

 

Tigard

• Tigard City Hall: until 8pm on Election Day

 

Tualatin

• Tualatin City Office Council Bldg: until 8pm on Election Day

 

Yamhill County

Amity

• Amity City Library: Until 8pm Election Day

 

Carlton

• Carlton City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Dayton

• Dayton City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Dundee

• Dundee City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Lafayette 

• Lafayette City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

McMinnville

• Yamhill County Courthouse: Until 8pm on Election Day
• Yamhill County Clerks Office: M-F 9am-5pm, Election Day 7am-8pm

 

Newberg

• Chehalem Aquatic Center: Until 8pm on Election Day
• Newberg Public Safety: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Sheridan

• Sheridan City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Willamina

• Willamina City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Yamhill

• Yamhill City Hall: Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Multnomah County

Portland

• A-Boy Supply: 18th Day prior-election through 8pm on Election Day
• Pioneer Courthouse Square: 18th Day prior-election through 8pm on Election Day
• Capitol Hill Branch Library: Sunday 12pm-5pm; M 10am-6pm; T-W 12pm-8pm; Th-Sat 10am-6pm; Until 8pm on Election Day
• Northwest Branch Library: Sunday 12pm-5pm; M 10am-6pm; T-W 12pm-8pm; Th-Sat 10am-6pm; Until 8pm on Election Day
• Hillsdale Branch Library: Sunday 12pm-5pm; M-T 10am-8pm; W-Sat 10am-6pm, Until 8pm on Election Day
• Multnomah County Elections: M-F 8am-5pm; Election Day 7am-8pm
• Multnomah County Election: 18th day prior-election through 8pm on Election Day

 

Columbia County

Clatskanie

• Clatskanie Library – M-F Regular Hours, Election Day 12pm-8pm

 

Mist

• Birkenfeld Mist Fire Station- M-F 8am-4pm; Election Day until 8pm

 

Rainier

• Rainier City Hall – Daily 8am-5pm, until 8pm on Election Day

 

St. Helens

• Columbia County Courthouse – M-F 8:30am-5pm, until 8pm on Election Day

 

Scappoose

• Scappoose City Hall – M-F 8am-5pm; Election Day 8am-8pm

 

Vernonia

• Vernonia Library: M, W, F 10am-5pm; T & Th 2pm-7pm; Sat 10am-2pm; Until 8pm on Election Day

 

Clatsop County

 

Astoria

• Clatsop County Elections: Until 8pm on Elections Day
• Clatsop County Clerk’s Office: M-F 8:30m-5pm; Election Day 7am-8pm

 

Cannon Beach

• Cannon Beach City Hall: M-F 8-5; Election Day 8-8

 

Gearhart

• Gearhart City Hall: M-F 8-noon & 1pm-5pm; Election Day until 8pm

 

Knappa

• Knappa High School: M-F 8am-3pm; Election Day until 8pm

 

Seaside

• Seaside City Hall: M-F 8am-5pm; Election Day until 8pm

 

Warrenton

• Warrenton City Hall: M-F 8:30am-5pm; Election Day 8:30am-8pm