10.26.05
Jean Cowan announces candidacy for District 10
Newport News-Times
Responding to the lack of real solutions produced by the 2005 legislative session in Salem, former Lincoln County Commissioner Jean Cowan (D-Newport) announced today she is officially entering the 10th District race for the Oregon House of Representatives.
Jean Cowan has strong ties to her district - made up of Lincoln County and parts of Yamhill. Polk, and Lane Counties. Whether working as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or as a community organizer for education, safety and health causes, Cowan has earned a reputation for independently getting things done.
“With the legislative business in Salem taken behind closed doors this session, and with our most important work on key issues like education funding and prescription drug access left undone, we need representatives in Salem who will choose decisive leadership over divisive politics,” Cowan said. “That’s why I’ve decided to run for the Oregon House.”
Cowan, 58, began her career of public service more than 25 years ago. Formerly the mayor of Elgin, Ore., she has served on a variety of state boards and commissions including the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Committee (OSSPAC) and the Oregon Health Council (OHC), and is currently a member of the Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB).
“I spent my 12 years as a county commissioner working to confront Lincoln County’s most serious challenges and to cultivate the economic interests that not only create jobs, but make this area’s way of life unique,” Cowan stated. “I am willing to take on another tough campaign because I still have a passion about keeping Oregon’s promise of opportunity to the next generation.”
Cowan was also the Democratic nominee for the 10th District in 2004, falling 400 votes short of incumbent Alan Brown, but she doesn’t intend to run the same campaign again this time. “In the last race, I learned a great deal about this district and the voters here. This time around, we’re getting an early start, and I won’t let anything get in the way of our positive, issues-based campaign.”
With numerous expected endorsements and a strong fundraising base, Cowan’s early entry is expected to present a formidable threat to Oregon Republicans’ grip on the State House of Representatives.
Cowan said she will campaign in every precinct and every county of the district over the course of this election. “I want to represent the entire 10th District,” she concluded. “That’s why I will be traveling to every corner of District 10 to talk to voters about their ideas for a better Oregon. I look forward to meeting you on your doorstep or at your local coffee shop in the months ahead.”
Cowan’s campaign manager, Patton Price, can be reached at (541) 270-6223, or inquiries can be made to info@jeancowan.com.
