By editorial board • 

Tuesday’s balloting offers a measure of reassurance

For Americans who stand for moderation in public and private behavior, emphasis on everyday demands over empty ideology, authentic candidates running on realistic platforms, and campaigns not dependent on rivers of dark money, Tuesday night’s balloting generally proved encouraging.

The same could be said for balloting here in Yamhill County, and in its immediate environs in Oregon’s new 6th Congressional District. Those who feared the worst in primaries staged Tuesday in Oregon, Idaho, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Kentucky can breathe a sigh of relief.

On the plus side locally, voters:

n Rejected political cypher Carrick Flynn in the 6th District’s Democratic primary for hard-working and well-qualified state Rep. Andrea Salinas. There was justice in that, as Flynn’s only claim to fame was an obscene $12 million infusion from Bahamian billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried.

n Rewarded Dayton Mayor Beth Wytoski’s laser focus on local issues with a dead heat showing against party establishment-backed Kit Johnston.

n Approved crucial police and fire measures in Dayton and Sheridan, and may have given an Amity school measure enough votes to ultimately prevail.

Elsewhere, in Oregon, voters displayed wisdom in:

n Dumping 5th District congressional incumbent Kurt Schrader for Jamie McLeod-Skinner. The latter is much better attuned to the Biden administration’s vision for America.

n Bestowing the Republican gubernatorial nomination on the sensible, grounded Christine Drazan in a field featuring all too many hacks, has-beens and ideologues.

n Delivering votes of confidence to moderate Dan Ryan and a lack of confidence to radical Jo Ann Hardesty in Portland City Commission balloting. 

n Overwhelmingly rejecting a bid by disgraced ex-judge Vance Day to oust well-respected jurist Darleen Ortega from the Court of Appeals.

n Displaying the confidence to pass a $723 million bond issue in the Beaverton School District, and generally give money measures a fair shot around the state.

Elsewhere in the country, voters rewarded us by:

n Repudiating the scandal-ridden antics of U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn in the GOP primary in North Carolina’s 11th District.

n Rejecting ultra-MAGA Trump endorsee Kathy Barnette in a Pennsylvania primary. A Barnette win would have all but conceded a coveted U.S. Senate seat to Democrat John Fetterman.

n Making a similar call in the Republican gubernatorial primary in Idaho, sending incumbent Brad Little to a resounding victory over strident Trump acolyte Janice McGeachin.

Were there votes we wish had gone the other way? Of course there were. 

Voter turnout remains low. While primary elections mostly set up the ballot for the November general, there are races decided in May. Such is the case in the other commissioner race, where incumbent Mary Starrett appears to have won outright, with about 51% of the vote. With a 33% turnout, she’ll resume office with about 17% of the electorate’s vote of confidence.

We were also disappointed to see:

n Local favorite Ron Noble edged in his bid for the GOP nomination in the 6th Congressional District, as he’s proven honest, honorable and forthright throughout his career in public service.

n Local favorite Casey Kulla, another independent-minded straight-shooter, fade to a distant third in the six-way labor commissioner field. That cost him any shot at a November runoff.

n Democrats opt for liberal Tina Kotek over moderate Tobias Read as their gubernatorial nominee. Republican Christine Drazan and independent Betsy Johnson could both prove formidable in November, and we think Read would have been the sounder choice. 

n Republicans choose the histrionic Doug Mastriano  as their gubernatorial contender in Pennsylvania. On the plus side, that seems likely to ensure election of well-qualified Democrat Josh Shapiro in November.

Flood tides in one direction are rare in American politics. The ebb and flow of Tuesday’s balloting is more typical.

In times as turbulent as these, that’s reassuring — particularly when flows the right direction seemed to outnumber ebbs the other way.

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