Knute Buehler

Knute Buehler

Republican Party

Prior offices

Oregon House of Representatives District 54

Successor: Cheri Helt

Predecessor: Jason Conger

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Elections and appointments

Last election

May 19, 2020

Education

High school

Roseburg High School

Bachelor's

Oregon State University

Graduate

Oxford University

Medical

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Personal

Profession

Orthopedic surgeon

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

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Knute Buehler (Republican Party) was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, representing District 54. He assumed office on January 12, 2015. He left office on January 13, 2019.

Buehler (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Oregon's 2nd Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on May 19, 2020.

Buehler (Republican) was a candidate for Governor of Oregon. Buehler lost the general election on November 6, 2018, after advancing from the primary on May 15, 2018.

Biography

Buehler studied microbiology at Oregon State University. He earned an M.A. in politics and economy from Oxford University. Buehler also obtained an M.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Buehler has worked as an orthopedic surgeon at The Center for Orthopedic and Neurosurgical Care and Research. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Ford Family Foundation and St. Charles Health System.

Elections

2020

See also: Oregon's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020

Oregon's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (May 19 Republican primary)

Oregon's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (May 19 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Oregon District 2

Cliff Bentz defeated Alex Spenser and Robert Werch in the general election for U.S. House Oregon District 2 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cliff Bentz (R)	59.9	273,835
		Alex Spenser (D)	36.9	168,881
		Robert Werch (L)	3.1	14,094
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	623

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 457,433
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Patrick Archer (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Oregon District 2

Alex Spenser defeated Nick Heuertz, Chris Vaughn, Jack Howard, and John Holm in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Oregon District 2 on May 19, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alex Spenser	32.1	23,482
		Nick Heuertz	31.0	22,685
		Chris Vaughn	18.2	13,351
		Jack Howard	8.3	6,047
		John Holm	8.1	5,908
		Other/Write-in votes	2.4	1,734

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 73,207
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Isabella Tibbetts (D)
• Raz Mason (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Oregon District 2

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Oregon District 2 on May 19, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cliff Bentz	31.3	37,488
		Knute Buehler	22.1	26,405
		Jason Atkinson	19.5	23,274
		Jimmy Crumpacker	18.0	21,507
		Travis Fager	3.6	4,265
		Jeff Smith	2.1	2,539
		Justin Livingston	1.1	1,350
		Mark Roberts	1.1	1,336
		David Campbell	0.3	418
		Glenn Carey	0.2	283
		Kenneth Medenbach	0.2	267
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	450

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 119,582
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Justus Mayo (R)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Oregon District 2

Robert Werch advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Oregon District 2 on July 6, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Robert Werch (L)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Oregon gubernatorial election, 2018

See also: Oregon gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 15 Republican primary)

General election

General election for Governor of Oregon

The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Oregon on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kate Brown (D)	50.1	934,498
		Knute Buehler (R)	43.7	814,988
		Patrick Starnes (Independent Party of Oregon)	2.9	53,392
		Nick Chen (L)	1.5	28,927
		Aaron Auer (Constitution Party)	1.1	21,145
		Chris Henry (Progressive Party)	0.6	11,013
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	3,034

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,866,997 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Alex DiBlasi (G)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Oregon

Incumbent Kate Brown defeated Ed Jones and Candace Neville in the Democratic primary for Governor of Oregon on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kate Brown	83.8	324,451
		Ed Jones	8.6	33,464
		Candace Neville	7.5	29,110

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 387,025
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Oregon

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Oregon on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Knute Buehler	46.1	144,103
		Sam Carpenter	29.0	90,572
		Greg Wooldridge	20.2	63,049
		Bruce Cuff	1.6	4,857
		Jeff Smith	1.5	4,691
		Dave Stauffer	0.7	2,096
		Jonathan Edwards	0.3	861
		Keenan Bohach	0.3	787
		Brett Hyland	0.2	755
		Jack Tacy	0.2	512

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 312,283
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Independent Party of Oregon primary election

Independent Party of Oregon primary for Governor of Oregon

Patrick Starnes defeated Skye Allen and Dan Pistoresi in the Independent Party of Oregon primary for Governor of Oregon on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Patrick Starnes	58.7	6,030
		Skye Allen	23.4	2,405
		Dan Pistoresi	18.0	1,846

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 10,281
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Shawn Liebling (Independent Party of Oregon)

2016

State House

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Oregon House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 17, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 8, 2016.

Incumbent Knute Buehler defeated Gena Goodman-Campbell in the Oregon House of Representatives District 54 general election.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 54 General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Knute Buehler Incumbent	52.08%	19,352
	Democratic	Gena Goodman-Campbell	47.92%	17,804
Total Votes				37,156
Source: Oregon Secretary of State

Gena Goodman-Campbell ran unopposed in the Oregon House of Representatives District 54 Democratic primary.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 54 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Democratic	Gena Goodman-Campbell  (unopposed)

Incumbent Knute Buehler ran unopposed in the Oregon House of Representatives District 54 Republican primary.

Oregon House of Representatives, District 54 Republican Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Republican	Knute Buehler Incumbent (unopposed)

Governor

See also: Oregon gubernatorial special election, 2016

Before filing for re-election, Buehler was a potential candidate for Governor of Oregon in 2016. The governor's office is held by Democrat Kate Brown, who was Oregon's secretary of state until Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned in February 2015 amid an ethics scandal. In Oregon, the secretary of state is first in the line of gubernatorial succession. Buehler was the Republican nominee for Oregon Secretary of State in 2012 when then-Secretary Brown was running for re-election. Buehler lost to Brown in the general election on November 6, 2012.

2014

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Oregon House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 11, 2014. Craig Wilhelm was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Knute Buehler was unopposed in the Republican primary. Buehler also ran on the Independent party and Libertarian party tickets. Buehler defeated Wilhelm in the general election.

Oregon House of Representatives District 54, General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Knute C. Buehler	58.2%	15,348
	Democratic	Craig Wilhelm	41.3%	10,876
	None	Miscellaneous	0.5%	134
Total Votes				26,358

2012

See also: Oregon secretary of state election, 2012

Buehler ran in the 2012 election for Oregon secretary of state. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary on May 15, 2012. Buehler was defeated by incumbent Kate Brown (Democratic, Working Families) in the general election on November 6, 2012, along with three minor party candidates- Seth Woolley (Pacific Green), Bruce Alexander Knight (Libertarian) and Robert Wolfe (Progressive).

Oregon Secretary of State General Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Kate Brown Incumbent	51.4%	863,656
	Republican	Knute Buehler	43.3%	727,607
	Green	Seth Woolley	2.6%	44,235
	Libertarian	Bruce Alexander Knight	1.4%	24,273
	Progressive	Robert Wolfe	1.3%	21,783
Total Votes				1,681,554
Election results via Oregon Secretary of State

Oregon Secretary of State Republican Primary, 2012
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Knute Buehler	98.5%	193,043
Write-ins	1.5%	2,973
Total Votes		196,016

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Knute Buehler did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2018

Campaign website

The following were taken from Buehler's campaign website.

“	Education Boost Student Achievement, Restore Hope and Graduation Rates, Solve the Classroom Funding Crisis, Extend CTE/STEM to All Students and Support Teachers Governor Kate Brown The failing status quo For too long, Oregon’s elected leaders have tolerated too many poorperforming schools. Diminished expectations not only rob thousands of young Oregonians of a better shot at a brighter future; Oregon also has been denied the full potential of its greatest resource – talented young people ready for college, work, careers and the world. Undoubtedly, good things are happening in many schools across Oregon, but it is also undeniable that we are failing too many kids and families. Under Governor Kate Brown, despite record funding levels and numerous attempts at state staff changes, Oregon schools and students today face a menacing triple-threat: an ongoing crisis in high school graduation levels, a lingering crisis in academic quality and a growing crisis in classroom funding. A Student Achievement, Graduation Crisis Since 2015, roughly 25% of Oregon students have failed to graduate from high school on time and Oregon’s high school graduation rate has been ranked 48th or worse in the nation. That means nearly 7,000 young Oregonians who should have graduated each year from high school since Kate Brown took office – did not. And that’s just the average. Among communities of color, the graduation crisis is even more alarming – with roughly 30% of students failing to graduate on time. A Quality Crisis In addition to an intolerable graduation rate, Oregon ranks low for academic achievement and quality. The Education Week Research Center gives Oregon a “D” and Education Week’s Quality Counts project ranks Oregon 34th in the nation for educational quality. Oregon has the dubious distinction of having one of the shortest school years along with some of highest absentee rates and largest class sizes in America. A Classroom Funding Crisis On average, Oregon currently spends $12,833 per K-12 student – 21st in the nation. Under Governor Brown, Oregon has never spent more per pupil on K-12 education, adjusted for inflation, up more than 10% in the last five years. Unfortunately, while spending for K-12 is on the rise, school districts across Oregon continue to face cuts in teaching positions and critical education programs. This is Oregon’s classroom funding crisis. The cause is runaway pension and health insurance costs – with no relief in sight because Governor Brown has refused to pursue real, cost-saving reforms. Brown stonewalled reforms even in the face of PERS assessments that consumed almost half of new K-12 spending in her 2017-19 budget. Those assessments are costing teachers their jobs and children the opportunity for a better education. Last year, for example, the Beaverton School District received a $21 million increase in state funding but still faced the prospect of cutting 300 teaching positions to finance $14 million in new state pension costs. The district ultimately went to voters with a tax levy to help save the teaching positions. The Salem-Keizer School District, the state’s second-largest district, received $31 million in additional state funding, but its state pension assessment jumped by $10 million, so they were forced to eliminate 67 teaching positions. Statewide, by 2023-25, pension costs are projected to escalate more than 70% and will absorb, on average, more than 25% of the typical Oregon school district budget. Health insurance premium costs are expected to grow by 7% over the next two years and will soon consume 10% of the average school district budget. Simply put, under Governor Brown, Oregon’s classroom funding crisis has grown worse and she has demonstrated no political courage or leadership in seeking to solve it. “As Governor, I’ll challenge the unacceptable status quo and restore high expectations. I’ll combine the best Republican, Independent and Democrat ideas to move Oregon schools from some of the lowest performing in the nation to some of the highest.” – Knute Buehler Knute Buehler Independent leadership where Kate Brown has failed As Governor, Knute Buehler will make improving public education in Oregon his top priority by challenging the status quo, restoring high expectations, putting students first, and by pushing for evidence-based change, innovation and accountability from Oregon educators at all levels. He will combine the best Republican, Independent and Democrat ideas with the goal of moving Oregon from some of the lowest performing schools in the nation to some of the best within 5 years. Unlike some Republicans, Knute believes we need both innovative academic reforms and more funding to boost the graduation rate and to achieve breakthroughs in overall student achievement. That’s why, in his first two K-12 education budgets as Governor (2019-21, 2021-23), he will propose a minimum of a 15% funding increase. In exchange, Governor Buehler will expect meaningful, bipartisan pension and health insurance reform legislation on his desk in both two-year budget cycles. Reversing Oregon’s student achievement and classroom funding crises will take at least two budget cycles and multiple bipartisan budget and legislative reforms. 5 Big Important Goals to Leap to the Top in Education 1. Advance From Bottom Five to Top Five in Five Years Advancing Oregon schools from some of lowest performing in the nation to some of the highest will require focusing state and local educators on achieving a handful of critical, evidence-based proficiency standards. These standards, combined with enhanced resources and professional development opportunities for teachers, are widely recognized as key ingredients for students graduating from high school on time and with the knowledge and skills needed to advance to a four-year college, a community college or the workplace. Governor Buehler will lead on education reform and student achievement where Kate Brown has failed. Improved Education Standards Include: 1. By 2022, every child a proficient reader by 3rd grade 2. Triple the number of 7th grade English Language Learners who are English-proficient by (In 2015-16, only 12% of 6-8th grade English Language Learners were English proficient.) 3. Provide access to individual success plans or other targeted supports for every 9th-grade student, to ensure they are on-track 4. To better reflect the growing diverse student population, move toward one-third of classroom staff representing culturally and linguistically diverse 5. Repeal the standardized testing opt-out law in order to inform parents and hold schools accountable; make sure teachers have access to meaningful measures of progress that they can use in practice 6. Allow academically qualified high-school students to use K-12 dollars to enroll in college Improved Teacher Supports Include: 1. Expand ongoing, individualized professional development opportunities, mentorships and other training for teachers and aides, especially in support of reading and language 2. Give each teacher a $250 debit card each year for unbudgeted classroom needs, to use at their own discretion. 3. Provide grant funds, based on demonstrated district need, for grade school reading 4. Eliminate certification barriers to allow teachers certified in another state or who are military spouses with experience teaching within the Department of Defense Education Activity system, one of the best K-12 systems in the world. 5. Direct the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission to encourage co-teaching training models in order to draw workforce experts to teaching without having to quit their jobs. For example: Make it easier for an automobile body shop worker to teach a body shop class, or a D. mathematician in the tech industry to teach high-level math. 6. Close staff diversity gaps through intentional recruitment from among under-represented populations, including a new, ROTC-style college scholarship program for prospective teachers. 2. Restore the Lost School Year It is well known and unfortunately has become too long accepted that Oregon has some of the shortest school years in the nation. On average, Oregon students have 165 days of classroom instruction each year. The national standard is 180 instructional days a year. Put another way, by the time the average student in Oregon graduates from high school, he or she will have had 180 total fewer schools days than a student in neighboring Washington state – that’s an entire school year less. It’s time to give Oregon students a complete, 12 years of education (plus kindergarten) instead of 11 years. Governor Buehler will lead to restore the lost school year where Kate Brown has failed. 1. Provide increased funding to buy back five days each year to reach 180 by 2021-22. Under current formulas, that means an additional investment of nearly $400 million a year in public K-12 2. Return to a consistent, five-day school week: Require staff training time to be scheduled to minimize instructional disruptions. No more “no-school ” 3. Pass a law requiring all school districts to implement a 180-day school year 4. To balance education opportunities with the ability to participate in summer camps and other pursuits outside of school, a 180-day school year should be from after Labor Day to mid-June. 3. Provide Career & Technical Education for Every Student Who Wants it Career and technical education (CTE/STEM) is proven to not only combat absenteeism and drop-out rates, it is a key ingredient in providing education opportunities to prepare students for jobs and careers that require specific hands- on knowledge and skills. There is increasing student interest, societal recognition and economic demand for well-paying skills and trade-based career paths in areas ranging from health care to technology and construction. The seeds of these future jobs and careers are planted and nurtured in middle- and high-school years. Oregon voters recognized the importance of career education when they approved Ballot Measure 98 by 66% in 2016. In her first budget, Governor Brown cut voter-approved funding for Ballot Measure 98 by 43% in her budget. Governor Buehler will lead for career and technical education where Kate Brown has failed. 1. Fully fund Measure 98 (currently just 57% funded). 2. Recruit non-traditional teachers for CTE/STEM fields. Reduce barriers to teaching certification for experienced CTE/STEM workers, emphasizing co- teaching and other techniques over full- time education studies, to enable non- traditional workers to pursue teaching on a part-time or apprenticeship basis while continuing another 3. Encourage school districts to engage with community based organizations and local industry to share CTE/STEM resources and expertise. 4. Solve Oregon’s Classroom Funding Crisis Improving education in Oregon requires stronger funding to support innovative classroom reforms. In his first two K-12 education budgets as Governor (2019-21, 2021-23), Knute will propose a minimum of a 15% funding increase, paired with essential cost-saving reforms to PERS and health benefits for all state and local government employees. In addition, according to PERS’ own actuaries, fair and legally permissible reforms would save up to $1.2 billion each biennium that could be redirected to classrooms. Simply piling more dollars into a broken and unreformed system will perpetuate Oregon’s classroom funding crisis that each year diverts a greater percentage of education dollars away from classroom learning to fund pension and health insurance obligations. Governor Knute Buehler will lead to solve Oregon’s classroom funding crisis where Kate Brown has failed. 1. Boost K-12 General Fund education budget by 15% in the 2019-21 and 2021-23 budgets. 2. Require that the legislature approve fair and legally permissible pension reforms that could redirect up to $1.2 billion to classrooms prior to signing any new spending bills. Cost-saving pension and health insurance reforms for all state and local government employees that would include at least the following features: 3. Protect pension benefits already 4. Cap salary amount used to calculate benefits at $100,000 per 5. Eliminate vacation and sick leave salary “spiking” for calculation of final-year 6. Require all state and local government employees to contribute toward their own retirement 7. Enroll all new employees in a 401(k)-type plan with a reasonable match and encourage current employees to opt into 8. Reform PEBB and OEBB health benefits to be comparable to health benefits offered by Oregon’s most desirable employers, such as Nike and Intel. Require: 1. Employee contribution to premium on a sliding scale, based on ability to 2. Offer a partially funded Health Savings Account paired with a modest, HSA-qualifying 5. Modernize Funding and Contracts to Achieve Outcomes Spending for K-12 education is nearly 40% of the state General Fund budget. For most school districts, the state provides about half of total funding, with the balance coming from local and federal sources. With 198 school districts across Oregon, the challenge – and the opportunity – is to drive desired student improvement by reforming the state school funding formula to better reflect desired aspirations, goals and outcomes. The status quo of pumping more dollars into an inadequate and outdated formula, disconnected from cost, quality, performance and accountability is no longer acceptable. Governor Buehler will lead to modernize education funding and accountability where Kate Brown has failed. 1. Provide base funding to support 180 instructional days by 2021-22. Direct additional funding toward specific programs and activities that improve 2. School districts will be given global base budgets and a capped annual inflation target of 3.4% per year – the same target as the state’s giant Medicaid program. District labor agreements could not exceed the 3. Implement state-set parameters of “qualified economic offers” of total compensation (base pay plus district share of benefits costs), which would be within districts’ global budget limitation. An offer that provides an increase of at least CPI and not more than 3.4% is a “qualified offer” not subject to arbitration. In other words, local unions would have to accept qualified offers. 4. Districts could apply for multi-year grant funds in support of transformative activities or innovation pilots, awarded based on targeted uses and demonstrated financial 5. Make it illegal for any school district in Oregon to negotiate a contract that allows the purging or destruction of personnel files that could be critical in a future investigation. Health Care Restoring Leadership, Accountability & Innovation For a Healthier Oregon Oregon was once known as a leader in health care policy innovation and delivery. Unfortunately, today we’re known for scandals, lawsuits, mismanagement and waste. In recent years, despite significant increases in health care spending, the Oregon Health Authority has been defined by excessive management turnover, massive technology failures, a lack of accountability and tens of millions wasted that should have been spent providing care for those in need. And the next stage of Medicaid reform, aka “CCO 2.0,” has stalled out for lack of gubernatorial leadership. Health care is a fundamental need, not a luxury. Given the ongoing changes and uncertainty surrounding federal health care policy and funding, it’s never been more important for Oregon policy makers, providers and insurers to recapture a sense of shared purpose, innovation and collaboration for a healthier Oregon. As Governor, Knute Buehler will lead to ensure that every Oregonian has access to high-quality health care, and that every Oregon taxpayer has confidence their tax dollars are being carefully managed and invested to provide the best possible care for the greatest number of people at the lowest possible cost. Governor Buehler will lead on health care where Kate Brown has failed. 1. Reclaim Oregon’s National Leadership in Delivery of Medicaid Services 1. Continue to oppose drastic federal cuts in State Medicaid funding. Provide State funding for Medicaid that is stable, long-term and broad-based – not a collection of hidden fees, taxes and budgeting gimmicks. 2. Make State Medicaid hospital assessments permanent. 3. Coordinate investments, set financial expectations and determine specific metrics in social determinants of health – such as workforce training, employment, community engagement and housing. 4. Hold Coordinated Care Organizations’ (CCOs) rate increases to 3.4% annually, as promised in the original CCO reform waiver. 5. Prepare for third-generation CCOs through mission and geographic alignment of Early Learning Hubs, Regional Solutions, and related social and health services. 2. Every Oregonian Who Needs Mental Health Care Gets It For years, Oregon policymakers have talked about integrating mental health and physical health, but little progress has been made. We must expand access to mental health services and hold payors accountable for delivering on the promise of mental health integration. 1. Reorganize the payment and delivery of Medicaid mental health services to fully integrate mental and physical health through CCOs, with counties continuing to serve as providers, and tie CCO funding to outcomes. Today, these programs are administered through both CCOs and counties, which unintentionally perpetuates misalignment of funding and service delivery. 2. In cooperation with non-profits, county mental health and health systems, expand access to walk-in and community based mental health facilities throughout the state. 3. Reverse the trend: Be the only state in the nation that significantly reduces its suicide rate. 4. Create evidence-based standards for licensed substance abuse treatment facilities, to help make sure that people are successful in recovery. 5. Stop the criminalization of the mentally ill, and develop robust court-designated conservators for assistance with care and treatment. 3. Cut Opioid Abuse-related Deaths by 50% 1. Two-pronged approach to combat the abuse of methamphetamine, opioids and other dangerous drugs: -Bolster medical treatment and peer-to-peer counseling and set evidence-based outcomes standards for licensed treatment centers. -Prevention: Focused, public health prevention carefully designed to reach and teach kids before they use dangerous drugs. -Educate prescribers during academic training and in continuing education. 2. Tighten controls on legal distribution and return of prescribed controlled substances. 4. Support Reproductive Rights & Women’s Health Care 1. Regardless of changes in federal law, ensure that Oregon remains a pro-choice state and that all Oregonians maintain full access to reproductive rights and health care. 2. Continue to make improvements to Oregon’s pioneering over-the-counter birth control law, speeding payments from insurers to pharmacies, and promoting greater awareness and convenience of the new, landmark law. 3. Decrease the unintended pregnancy rate by another 25% over the next five years. 5. Ensure Every Oregon Child is Healthy & Ready to Learn Rep. Buehler has released a detailed plan to improve education in Oregon. A key component to enhanced learning, especially in early grades, is children’s health. Today, nearly half of all children in Oregon are enrolled in Medicaid yet Oregon is ranked 46th for child wellness checkups and 42nd for child dental checkups. Given the availability of funding (76% federal), Oregon must improve its targeting of these critical resources to improve children’s health. 1. Raise Oregon Medicaid to the Top 5 among States for child wellness checkups and child dental checkups – and hold CCOs accountable for outcomes. 2. Provide on-site behavioral specialists and peer support hotlines in all public schools, managed by CCOs. (About half – 48% – of Oregon children are enrolled in Medicaid.) 3. Invest in drug abuse prevention and education designed to reach adolescents. Homelessness Ending Unsheltered Homelessness in Oregon by 2023 A seven-point plan that offers compassion, expects responsibility, creates opportunity and develops independence for Oregonians in need. Under Kate Brown, Oregon’s homeless crisis is growing worse. A federal report of 2017 revealed nearly 14,000 people statewide are classified as experiencing homelessness – a 6% increase in the past two years alone. Homelessness has become a humanitarian, public health and public safety crisis that no longer can be left primarily to local governments and non-profit agencies to address. It has become a statewide problem that demands bolder, more creative leadership from a Governor and state government. In Oregon, Knute Buehler believes that a street or sidewalk should never be anyone’s home, that homelessness itself isn’t a crime, nor should it be accepted as a permanent way of life. As Governor, Knute will balance Oregonians’ generosity and compassion with their expectation for clean, safe neighborhoods and communities. Buehler will lead where Kate Brown has failed. The causes of homelessness are multifaceted and complex. For many it’s an economic condition – with rising housing costs and the overall cost-of-living outpacing wages and income. For others, it may result from a mental health condition or physical disability beyond their personal control. And for others, addictions may impair the decision-making required for a life of personal responsibility. And for some, living and camping on the streets, sidewalks and other public places is – or may be – a lifestyle choice or act of rebellion. No matter the circumstances of each person facing homelessness, as Governor, Knute will lead with compassion, a specific plan and a little tough love to solve this challenging and complex problem. As Governor, Knute will listen to and bring together the best ideas of Democrats and Republicans along with social service providers, the homebuilding community, law enforcement, business community, landlords and tenants, faith leaders and leaders from communities of color and disadvantaged populations. As Governor, Knute Buehler will not be constrained by partisanship, precedent, ideology or orthodoxy in seeking creative solutions to solving homelessness, its root causes and community impacts. Homelessness in Oregon can be solved — and must be solved — to rescue those Oregonians directly experiencing it and to address the concerns of those in neighborhoods, business districts and communities across the state impacted by its consequences. 7 Ambitious Proposals to Solve Homelessness in Oregon 1. Leadership from a Governor to End Unsheltered Homelessness in Oregon by 2023 While good work and significant financial resources are being committed to combatting homelessness across the state, Oregonians want a more aggressive response to the homeless crisis and greater clarity in purpose, philosophy and policy from their government leaders. As Governor, Knute Buehler will provide leadership to solve homelessness based on policies that embrace a culture of compassion, responsibility, opportunity and independence in providing shelter, services and treatments and that balance the generosity of Oregonians with their reasonable expectation for clean, safe neighborhoods and communities. 1. Convene a statewide summit in December 2018 focused on the ambitious goal of ending unsheltered homelessness in Oregon by 2023. Bring together diverse stakeholders to share ideas, best practices and failures, and offer recommendations for all levels of government, non-profit providers and community leaders. Address the immediate need for shelters, services and treatments with the longer term need for social and economic independence, and the best strategies to address the reasonable public safety and public health consequences of neighborhood, street and public space camping. 2. Establish a Chief Homeless Solutions Officer, reporting directly to the Governor to provide leadership, coordination and accountability in combating homelessness statewide along with its root causes and community impacts. The office will help align federal, state, local, non-profit, community and private resources toward agreed upon priorities and goals. 2. Dedicate State Medicaid Funds to Community-Based, Street-Level, Mental Health Treatment 1. As Governor, Knute Buehler will seek state legislation and pursue changes to Oregon’s federal Medicaid agreement to allow enhanced physical and mental health care at community-based clinics and supportive housing where homeless populations need care the most. Currently, legal barriers exist that prevent Medicaid-funded, locally-based mental health and drug treatment, complicating access to treatment and substantially driving up costs by pushing homeless populations to more expensive Emergency Room care. 3. Replace Unhealthy, Unsafe Camps with 4,000 New Temporary Shelter Beds and 4,000 New Supportive-Housing Beds by 2023 1. As Governor, Knute will allocate $10 million in the state 2019-2020 budget and direct the new Chief Homeless Solutions Officer to help pool federal, state, local, non-profit and private resources to create, statewide, an additional 4,000 temporary and 4,000 supportive-housing beds with on-site, integrated services and treatments by 2023. State grants will be made to local governments and proven non-profit and private partners to build and manage the beds and programs. 2. The 4,000 temporary shelter beds will serve homeless populations that can reasonably transition to independent living following care, services and treatment. The 4,000 supportive-housing beds will serve those who cannot live independently, many of whom are currently living in camps, on streets or in public places, and who need long-term assisted living. 3. Wherever possible, prioritize the use of surplus government properties (or formerly owned properties such as the Wapato Correctional Facility) for either additional temporary or supportive housing and care facilities. 4. Streamline approvals for new shelter space and expedite approvals for existing projects in the pipeline. Move shelter applications to the top of the pile, cut red tape and revisit prohibitive zoning laws that block creation of additional facilities. 5. Coordinate state social services to co-locate with federal, local and non-profit service agencies. 6. Provide matching grants and tax incentives to local non-profits to prioritize building domestic violence shelters for women and their children. 4. Provide Local Governments Clear Authority and Greater Flexibility to Manage the Health and Safety of Streets and Sidewalks 1. As Governor, Knute will introduce legislation, based on 2013 legislation (HB 2963) approved 57-2 by the Oregon House of Representatives, to allow local governments the legal authority to more strictly regulate people sitting, lying and camping on streets and sidewalks – if the local governments wish to do so. Among the legislators supporting the bill in 2013 were Rep. Tina Kotek and Rep. Jennifer Williamson. The billed died in the Senate. A Multnomah County Circuit Court ruled in 2009 that a change in state law is required to give local jurisdictions the authority to act. 2. Direct the Oregon Department of Transportation and other state agencies to more aggressively develop cooperative agreements with local governments to prevent and manage the public-health and public-safety impacts of individuals camping on state lands. Individuals are placing themselves at-risk in high-speed, high-traffic areas, and creating public health and fire emergencies from extended camping on public lands. 5. Empower Oregonians to Maintain or Secure Affordable Workforce Housing with Expanded Direct Rental Assistance for Qualifying Individuals and Families 1. With rents rising faster than many personal incomes, we must assist working families with short-term housing security and long-term economic independence. To achieve this, as Governor, Knute Buehler will establish The Oregon Workplace Housing Assistance Fund. The fund will provide $50 million over five years, administered by the Oregon Housing Authority, in monthly direct rental assistance to qualifying low-income individuals and families for a minimum of one and maximum of three years. The goal of direct assistance is housing affordability and security and family, neighborhood and school stability during workplace transitions and rising housing costs. 2. Direct rental assistance is a quicker and more cost-effective approach to promoting housing affordability, personal economic opportunity and family, neighborhood and school stability than putting state and local governments in the business of building, owning and managing affordable housing units. 6. Fast-Track the Construction of 20,000 New Housing Units Over the Next Five Years of All Types and Sizes — Affordable and Accessible for Lower- and Middle-Income Renters and Buyers 1. The combination of a rising economy, more people moving to Oregon and a deficit in new single- and multi-family housing construction — particularly in the Portland area — has created a housing supply shortage and affordability crisis. Middle- and lower-income renters and buyers are now competing with higher-income renters and buyers for the same homes — driving housing costs up, affordability down and middle- and lower-income families out. The solution to rising housing costs is to increase the supply of homes available to rent or buy in the market. 2. As Governor, Knute Buehler will encourage all levels of government to adopt an “all of the above” approach to housing, land use and zoning to increase the supply of housing, and the diversity of housing options — from traditional multi-family apartments to innovative modular, tiny-home and communal living arrangements to rent or own. Increased density in existing urban areas, particularly in transit corridors, combined with new suburban neighborhoods with diverse housing styles and types should all be pursued by city, county and Metro governments with the support of relevant state agencies. 3. Make surplus and idle state lands ­­— such as low-yield forest land near coastal towns and vacant Oregon Department of Transportation-owned land — available for development of supportive, transitional and entry level housing. Require all local governments to inventory their land holdings for possible affordable housing development. 7. Enhance Workforce Training, Job Skills to Create Opportunities to End the Cycle of Poverty that Leads to Homelessness For those who are physically and mentally able to do so, independent living should be the goal for those currently experiencing homelessness. This transition begins with a safe shelter and services, moves to addiction and other treatments and care as needed, and ends with access to affordable housing and employment opportunities. As Governor, Knute Buehler will lead to ensure that those on the pathway from homelessness to economic independence have access to the education, life-skill and job training opportunities they need for success. 1. Create a voluntary Governor’s Leadership Council on Re-Entry Employment, where willing employers and non-profits could coordinate efforts to train and employ those who are formerly homeless who have found housing, temporary or permanent, for entry level jobs. 2. Direct Regional Solutions Centers to work with trade unions and industry to connect transitional homeless to intensive training programs that lead to Career and Technical Education apprenticeships. Programs should be designed to be short-term, oriented towards achieving full-time employment afterward, and specific to the local workforce needs. 3. Direct higher education and community college authorities to work with innovative, skills-oriented training programs to enhance offerings for those who were homeless who are now in transition to permanent housing. 4. Ensure workforce training experts have a spot on statewide homelessness oversight groups. 5. Work with non-profits, local government and other service providers to ensure that people stabilized in housing get coaching on daily life skills like shopping for nutritious foods, cooking and basic money management. One Oregon – Bridging Oregon’s Rural/Urban Divide Oregon is blessed with many unique geographic regions. Each area enjoys its own individual beauty, culture and assets. And each region offers its own natural and human resources capable of sustaining the economy of today while creating new opportunities for the economy of tomorrow. Oregon has an incredible combination of geography accessible to the world, sustainably-managed and renewable natural resources, and innovative, independent-minded people who share the values of economic opportunity and environmental stewardship. But for too long, too many of Oregon’s small towns and rural communities have been left-out and left-behind as they seek to chart their future and nurture economic opportunities. The result is excessive unemployment and poverty along with destructive social consequences like drug addiction, domestic violence, and homelessness. In addition, local school and government tax bases grow fragile, resulting in cuts to education, public safety and social services, in places and at times when they are needed most. Despite record low statewide unemployment and state government collecting more tax revenue than ever before, too many Oregonians aren’t sharing in this prosperity and experience hardships from decisions and policies related to Oregon’s so-called rural-urban divide. Unemployment in rural Oregon counties continues to be persistently at higher rates than in urban areas. Under Kate Brown, Oregon’s economic, social and political divisions have grown worse. “After seven years of uneven economic recovery, 17 out of Oregon’s 23 rural counties remain below peak employment.”– State of Oregon Employment Department Knute Buehler doesn’t believe Oregon’s rural-urban divide is an immovable feature of the natural landscape. He understands it is an artificial political divide resulting from policy, personnel and political choices made every day in Salem by elected officials and unelected government employees. These choices can either heal divisions – or make them worse. Oregon’s Governor has the unique opportunity and responsibility, if he or she chooses, to consciously build a more united Oregon with more balanced policies that include all Oregonians no matter who you are, where you live, or how you register to vote. In the face of division and hardship, Oregonians from rural communities remain resilient and hopeful about their future. All they lack is a Governor who cares, and a Governor who will listen, learn and lead. As Governor, Knute Buehler will bridge Oregon’s rural-urban divide and will be a Governor for all of Oregon – not just for a single region, political party or ideology. Buehler will break down barriers, sign permits and make state government a partner in helping rural communities realize their dreams and achieve their full potential. The world needs more safe, high-quality foods and nobody can produce it better than Oregon’s farmers, ranchers and fishermen. The world needs more quality and innovative wood products, and no one can make them better than Oregon workers and mills. And the world needs clean, affordable energy, and no place is better positioned to deliver it than Oregon’s International Port of Coos Bay. As Governor, Knute Buehler will lead for all of Oregon where Kate Brown has failed. 8 Big Important Goals to Bridge Oregon’s Rural-Urban Divide and Close the Achievement and Opportunity Gap 1. An Accessible Governor who Listens in Every County, Every Year As Governor, Knute Buehler will hold an open Town Hall-style meeting in each of Oregon’s 36 counties every year through his term as Governor. The practice, pioneered by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, will ensure that Oregonians in every corner of the state have access to their Governor and, as important, that Governor Buehler can hear directly from people about the issues they care about most. Oregon is a big state with many small towns and far-away places that rarely see a Governor – but those smaller communities are as much a part of the state as our big cities. The difference in issues and concerns from Oregonians in Curry, Harney and Wallowa counties may be as different as those from Oregonians in NE Portland or Eugene or Medford – but all are important and all need to be heard. In addition to annual Town Hall meetings in each county, as Governor, Knute Buehler will participate in hosted quarterly “Ask the Governor” forums on either TV, radio or social media platforms to listen to concerns and take questions from Oregonians across the state. And Governor Buehler will convene an annual “One Oregon” conference with the mission of building personal relationships and understanding between people from urban and rural Oregon. In total, nonmetro Oregon had per capita personal income (PCPI) of $37,332 in 2015, while metro Oregon’s was $45,040.– State of Oregon Employment Department 2. Statewide Diversity in Appointed Government Policy-Making Positions Oregon’s Governor is responsible for hiring and appointing hundreds of people to professional and volunteer policy-making positions during his or her term in office. Each of these individuals will have an impact on state policies and practices on everything from agriculture, forestry and fisheries to energy, transit and child care. As Governor, within his discretion under the law, Knute Buehler will seek to ensure not only gender, racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity in hiring and appointments, but also political and geographic diversity as well. There is no substitute for the unique perspectives of those directly involved in rural agricultural and resource endeavors. As Governor, Knute Buehler also will direct state agencies to actively engage rural stakeholders in agency initiatives and rule making, and he will ensure that they are not disadvantaged. Knute Buehler will issue an executive order requiring agencies to perform, in coordination with the Department of Administrative Services and Office of Economic Analysis, rigorous economic impact analyses of major new rules, and to mitigate any potentially disproportionate impacts on rural areas. He also will ensure that the existing periodic administrative rule review statute is enforced. As Governor, Knute Buehler will not employ ideological litmus tests in hiring or appointments. He will open the doors of state government to a new generation of Oregonians who previously may not have been considered for service in state government. He will make a special effort to ensure that Oregonians who live in rural communities have their voices heard and their views represented in senior staff policy-making and advisory roles in state government. 3. Approve the Jordan Cove Energy Center at the Port of Coos Bay For more than a decade, a $7.5 billion natural gas energy facility has been under consideration at Jordan Cove in Coos Bay. Coos County and Oregon’s south coast area has been of the most economically hard hit regions of the state for many years. The International Port of Coos Bay, with its direct access to the Pacific Ocean, Asia and other world markets, is ideally positioned to play a key role in delivering clean-burning natural gas energy to waiting world populations that will use the energy regardless of its origin. In addition, the necessary private investments envisioned for the Port and surrounding areas to make the facility a reality will create long-lasting benefits for other industries and job-creation opportunities along the South Coast and Southern Oregon regions. The proposed facility is one of the largest private investments ever proposed in Oregon, creating 3,500 construction jobs over 2 to 4 years that pay an average of $80,000 a year – double the average annual income in Southern Oregon counties. It will create 250 permanent, high-paying jobs with good benefits. And Jordan Cove will generate more than $40 million a year in state taxes and $60 million a year in revenues to support local schools and services in Coos, Douglas, Jackson, Lake and Klamath counties. While located in Coos County, the energy center would be a massive economic boost for all of southern Oregon – creating jobs, boosting incomes, generating new tax revenues and building new infrastructure. And with economic benefits, hope and opportunities will return to communities devastated by years of recession, depression and indifference from state leaders. The project requires federal, state and local support from various government agencies. Local officials in Coos County – including local Democratic state legislators – strongly support the project. Even so, Governor Brown refuses to support the energy center despite its overwhelming economic and social benefits – putting loyalty to special interests in Portland and Eugene ahead of what is good for the people of the South Coast. As Governor, Knute Buehler will support the Jordan Grove Energy Center at the International Port of Coos Bay and will champion the appropriate state and federal permits and approvals so construction can get underway after years of delay. 4. Defend Free Trade & Open Markets for Oregon Products One in seven Oregon jobs is trade-related, uniquely uniting Oregon-grown agricultural products from rural communities with port jobs in and around Portland. Importantly, Oregon is a gateway exporter for products grown and made in Oregon and all across the nation. In 2017, Oregon exported more than $5 billion in agricultural products alone, making agriculture a top economic driver in the state. Oregon’s top 5 agricultural export markets include Japan, South Korea, Canada, China and the Philippines. As Governor, Knute Buehler will be a strong advocate for free trade, open markets and Oregon producers – no matter which President or political party holds the White House or Congress. Free trade and open markets are good for all of Oregon. As Governor, Knute Buehler will continue the practice begun by Governor Vic Atiyeh and continued under previous Democrat Governors in leading trade missions around the world to promote better trading and cultural relationships for Oregon businesses and products. 5. Enhance Business & Education with 100% Statewide High-Speed Broadband Access by 2023 In today’s economy, high-speed broadband access isn’t a luxury – it is a necessity. While most Oregonians enjoy easy access to fast broadband Internet service – essential for commerce, jobs, education and many consumer needs – many rural Oregonians are still waiting for reliable, fast Internet service. High-speed broadband deployment is an economic development imperative to attract high-tech and remote-worker jobs to rural areas. As Governor, Knute Buehler will direct Business Oregon, the state economic development agency, to lead an interagency effort to coordinate and maximize federal broadband grants that are currently not being secured due to lack of coordination and competing priorities at the state level. He will take an “all of the above” approach to broadband development – wireless and wired – and push for a common strategy among local and state cable and telecommunications regulators. To encourage faster adoption of next-generation wireless, he will propose limits on local government fees on wireless transmission installations. According to the National Broadband Map, only about 55% of people living in rural areas have access to speeds that qualify as broadband, compared with 94% of the urban population. – State of Oregon Employment Department 6. Foster Rural Job Growth From Fully Funded Career & Technical Education There is increasing student interest, societal recognition and economic demand for well-paying skills and trade-based career paths in areas ranging from health care to technology and construction. The seeds of these future jobs and careers are planted and nurtured in middle- and high-school years. Oregon voters recognized the importance of career education when they approved Ballot Measure 98 by 66% in 2016. In her first budget, Governor Brown cut voter-approved funding for Ballot Measure 98 by 43% in her budget. As Governor, Knute Buehler will fully fund career and technical education and ensure rural communities receive their fair share of CTE/STEM funding and resources. Career and technical education (CTE/STEM) is especially important in rural communities to ensure that young people have the skills, particularly in manufacturing and health care fields, to fuel job growth and meet the anticipated skills needs over the next decade. And he will incentivize training of medical personnel by providing a seed fund to stimulate rural residency medical training programs for primary care and mental health providers in rural communities. 7. Invest in Essential Water Resource Infrastructure As Oregon’s population has grown, public investment in essential water infrastructure has not kept pace. This is critically important in many rural communities where manufacturing, agriculture and food processing industries rely on access to water to protect and grow jobs. As Governor, Knute Buehler will make planning and permitting of water infrastructure a higher priority of state government and will streamline state permitting for water efficiency projects, to ensure water users have greater certainty on timelines and outcomes. Buehler will support state bonding capacity to bolster investments in water infrastructure modernization to better utilize existing water resources, including development of environmentally friendly storage of water that could then be used to mitigate droughts. 8. A Champion for Sustainable Forestry & Jobs Oregon’s timber and forest products industry has a proud legacy and a dynamic future. Oregon is the largest lumber producer in the nation, and in many rural communities’ timber and forest-products jobs remain the backbone of the local economy. Oregon is a premier timber-growing region, with unrivaled manufacturing expertise. Oregon State University is among the most prestigious forestry schools in the world. The state of Oregon pioneered sustainable forestry with the passage of the state Forest Practices Act in the early 1970s – a law requiring the replanting of trees and advancing strict environmental safeguards. Forest policy and management in Oregon is complex because of the unique mixture of federal, state, tribal and private lands that all play different roles in providing wood products, wildlife habitat, recreation and scenic vistas. Today, about 75% of Oregon’s annual timber harvests come from private lands. As Governor, Knute Buehler will be a champion for those who work in Oregon’s timber and forest-products industries, and a leader for state and federal policies that promote healthy forests and healthy communities. Forest lands will be actively managed to reduce the threat of catastrophic fires and to promote stronger, healthier, more resilient forests. Oregon businesses can lead the way in creating innovative engineered building materials to meet the growing world-wide demand for durable, beautiful and sustainably manufactured wood products. And Oregon forests can help combat climate change by generating renewable energy from biomass and by pulling in and storing man-made carbon from the air and sequester it in wood products and buildings of all types.	”
—Knute Buehler's 2018 campaign website

Campaign advertisements

The following is an example of an ad from Buehler's 2018 election campaign.

"Still Different" - Knute Buehler campaign ad released October 12, 2018

2014

Buehler's campaign website highlighted the following issues:

Independence Excerpt: "As your State Representative, I’ll work across party lines to get things done, even if that means breaking with my own Party." Education Excerpt: "I’ll work closely with our local teachers, administrators, school board members and students to champion stronger funding for schools to reduce class sizes and to make thoughtful reforms to boost student achievement." Health Care Excerpt: "I support the decision to terminate the state health insurance exchange and move to the federal exchange. I believe the Cover Oregon disaster is first and foremost a failure of leadership, oversight and accountability by both the executive and legislative branches of state government." Jobs and the Economy Excerpt: "As your state representative, I will be relentless in supporting policies that create jobs, help existing businesses to grow and encourage new businesses to take root." Budget and Taxes Excerpt: "In addition to closing the state’s growing, so-called “tax gap,” I believe Oregon lawmakers need to take a hard look at whether our government is running efficiently and whether agencies are truly meeting the performance standards the Legislature sets for them."

Education

• Roseburg High School
• B.S. in Microbiology, Oregon State University
• M.A. in Politics and Economics, Oxford University
• M.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Committee assignments

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Oregon committee assignments, 2017
• Health Care
• Revenue
• Joint Tax Credits

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Buehler served on the following committees:

Oregon committee assignments, 2015
• Consumer Protection and Government Effectiveness, Vice-Chair
• Health Care
• Human Services and Housing

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Knute Buehler campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2020	U.S. House Oregon District 2	Lost primary	$1,599,076	$1,595,465
2016	Oregon House of Representatives, District 54	Won	$1,125,732	N/A**
2014	Oregon House of Representatives, District 54	Won	$1,009,619	N/A**
2012	Oregon Secretary of State	Lost	$1,451,273	N/A**
Grand total			$5,185,700	$1,595,465
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Oregon

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Oregon scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].

2018

In 2018, the 79th Oregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 5 through March 3. There was also a one-day special session on May 21, 2018.

• National Federation of Independent Business

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues.

• Oregon State Chamber of Commerce

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills affecting local businesses.

• Oregon State Public Interest Research Group

Legislators are scored on their votes related to issues important to the organization.

• SEIU 503

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the union's priorities.

• Stand for Children Oregon

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.

• The American Conservative Union

Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2017

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show].

In 2017, the 79th Oregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 1 through July 7. There was also an organizational session January 9. American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to civil liberties. Humane Oregon Senate and House Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Oregon League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Oregon State Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored based on their votes on House and Senate bills. Oregon State Public Interest Research Group Legislators are scored based on their support of issues important to the organization. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2016

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show].

In 2016, the 78th Oregon State Legislature, second session, was in session from February 1 through March 3. Humane Oregon: Senate and House Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Oregon Farm Bureau: Senate and House Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family farmers and ranchers. Oregon League of Conservation Voters: 2015-2016 legislative scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Oregon State Chamber of Commerce: 2015-2016 voting record Legislators are scored based on their votes on 10 House bills and six Senate bills. National Federation of Independent Business in Oregon: 2016 voting record Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues. Stand for Children-Oregon: 2015-2016 legislative scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2015

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show].

In 2015, the 78th Oregon State Legislature, first session, was in session from February 2 through July 6. American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon: 2015 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to civil liberties. Associated Oregon Industries: 2015 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to the business community. Humane Oregon: 2015 legislative scorecard Legislators are scored on bills related to animal issues. Marten Law Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental and energy issues. Oregon Education Association: 2015 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. Oregon League of Conservation Voters: 2015-2016 Legislative Scorecard Legislators are scored based on their voting record for bills relating to conservation. Oregon State Chamber of Commerce: 2015-2016 voting record Legislators are scored based on their votes on 10 House bills and six Senate bills. Stand for Children-Oregon: 2015-2016 legislative scorecard Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Buehler currently resides in Bend, Oregon with wife Patty and their two teenage children, Owen and Hannah.

See also

2020 Elections

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Government

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Newsletters

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External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Governor of Oregon
• Profile from Open States
• Buehler on Facebook
• Knute Buehler on Twitter
• Politics1.com-Oregon 2012
• Campaign donors: 2012

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Jason Conger (R)	Oregon House of Representatives District 54 2015-2019	Succeeded by Cheri Helt (R)

[show]

Oregon's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Jeff Merkley (D)

Ron Wyden (D)

Representatives

District 1

Suzanne Bonamici (D)

District 2

Cliff Bentz (R)

District 3

Earl Blumenauer (D)

District 4

Val Hoyle (D)

District 5

Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R)

District 6

Andrea Salinas (D)

Democratic Party (6)

Republican Party (2)