Eugene, OR — The Secretary of State determined today that United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 has been successful in its efforts to demand a recall election of State Representative Paul Holvey (D) of Eugene. The union-backed campaign was required to submit 4,598 signatures from voters within House District 8, and was found to have 5,055 valid signatures out of more than 10,000 submitted.
The Recall Campaign (officially designated simply as RPH PAC) had been hoping to qualify in July, but was not able to collect the needed amount of signatures that quickly.
“Petitioning for a recall is an extraordinarily high bar, and we couldn’t have done it without the outpouring of support from thousands of my fellow District 8 residents who demanded accountability. For the first time in his career, Rep. Holvey will have a serious challenge at the ballot: his own record.” – Recall Sponsor Nathan Erne, a constituent of Holvey’s.
The Recall effort outlined a long list of Holvey’s anti-worker actions and questionable conduct that warrant his removal, including Holvey’s dishonest framing of his opposition to pro-worker legislation, his long standing double-standard advantaging big business interests over those of working people, a chronic lack of engagement, and other instances of poor conduct.
“Oregonians deserve better representation than Paul Holvey provides; this applies especially to working Oregonians who have been left behind by Holvey and the Democratic Party’s Caucus leadership. Paul Holvey knows how to advance or kill legislation on behalf of corporations like La Mota that are owned by rich people; he’s just forgotten how to do it for regular people, like La Mota’s employees.” – Miles Eshaia, UFCW 555’s Communications Coordinator.
If Holvey resigns or is recalled, the Lane County Democratic Party will provide the Lane County Commission a list of 3 to 5 candidates from which to select a replacement.