By CORY ELDRIDGE
of The Chronicle
Commissioners from seven counties in District 59 chose former broadcaster John Huffman of The Dalles to fill a vacancy in the Oregon Legislature. The district was left without representation by the surprise resignation earlier
this month of Rep. John Dallum. Dallum himself was originally appointed to the seat in a similar procedure when former Rep. John Mabrey resigned in 2004.

The county commissioners met at Cousins Restaurant’s banquet room today at 9 a.m. to choose from a pool of three candidates selected by Republican Precinct Committee People on Wednesday, Aug. 23. The other
candidates were Meredith Van Valkenburgh of The Dalles and Mick Goss of Madras.

After a short introduction, the candidates separately answered questions from the commissioners. Most of the questions addressed the three men’s views and plans concerning the district’s rural communities. About these issues, Huffman said he wants to work with the counties to decide which issues they need state assistance with and “what Salem can stay out of.”

During his introduction, Huffman stressed what he called his “stick-to-itivness”, and throughout his questioning said his first business would be to build relationships with the district’s counties and state agencies to solve problems,
such as those concerning land and water use. In the election, each commissioner was given a vote, but the weight of the vote was determined by the number of registered voters in the commissioner’s county. The commissioners from Deschutes, Gilliam, Wheeler and Sherman had 1/3 of a vote while Wasco’s commissioners each had 4 1/3 votes. A candidate would win by plurality, receiving more votes than either of the other candidates.

The first four counties to report their votes, Deschutes, Gilliam, Grant and Wheeler which all phoned in, went unanimously to Huffman. Goss received one vote, weighted to be worth three, from a Jefferson commissioner. Huffman then took Sherman county unanimously. Van Valkenburgh received two votes from Wasco County’s commissioners, worth 8 2/3 votes. Needing only a plurality, Huffman won with 18 1/3 votes of a potential 30. While accepting his new post, Huffman said to the commissioners, “I will visit every one of you until you are sick of me.”
After the meeting adjourned, Huffman said his first task will be to fulfill his promise to build relationships with his constituents. Mostly it will be learning the issues. “I’m going to have to get up to speed on all of the issues,” he said. “I’m being loaded up as we speak.”

He said rural issues such as farming, property and water rights, cellular service, and timber receipts will be at the forefront of his work as District 59’s representative. House District 59 is one of the largest districts in the state. It covers all of Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Jefferson counties plus two thirds of Grant County, a portion of Deschutes County, and tiny unpopulted slivers of Marion and Clackamas counties.