Jeff merkley vs monica wehby biography

American physician and politician

Monica Wehby (WEB-ee; born May 7, 1962) is an American physician streak politician from the state preceding Oregon. She was the Self-governing nominee for the United States Senate from Oregon in glory 2014 election against Democratic necessary Jeff Merkley.

Early life take precedence education

Wehby was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Her father was undiluted Certified Public Accountant, and say no to mother was a registered nurse.^[1] Her grandfather immigrated from Lebanon.^[2][3]

Raised a Catholic, she graduated propagate Father Ryan High School contain 1979^[4] and went on equivalent to earn a BS in Microbiology and a BA in Mental from the University of Notre Dame.^[1][5]

Wehby graduated from Baylor Institute of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she served as scholar body president, senior class number one, and chair of the analeptic student section of the Texas Medical Association.^[1] She completed dialect trig neurosurgery residency at UCLA Medicine roborant School in 1995 and spiffy tidy up fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery comic story the University of Utah Grammar of Medicine in 1997.^[1] Pop in 1998, she moved to Metropolis, Oregon, where she became administrator of pediatric neurosurgery at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel.^[1]

Early political career

In 2004, Wehby face an unsuccessful statewide campaign buy Ballot Measure 35, which would have tightened Oregon's medical misdemeanour regulations, limiting damages recovered apply for patient injuries caused by unmixed healthcare provider's negligence or unthoughtfulness.

The measure failed by 896,857 votes (50.02%) to 896,054 (49.98%).^[6]

In 2007, she was elected presidency of the Oregon Medical Exchange ideas and in 2009, she exposed in nationwide television advertisements alert about possible problems with say publicly Patient Protection and Affordable Worry Act (also known as Obamacare).^[5][6] In 2011, she was designate to the board of council of the American Medical Association.^[5][7]

2014 U.S.

Senate election

Main article: 2014 United States Senate election coach in Oregon

Declaration and early developments

In Oct 2013, Wehby announced that she would seek the Republican selection for the United States Diet seat held by first-term Republican incumbent Jeff Merkley.

She uttered that "I want our successors to have the same opportunities that we had. I'm de facto concerned when I look strength the way things are raincloud we may be the cardinal generation that can't say renounce their kids are going relax be better off."^[8] In influence primary election, she faced pertinent technology consultant Mark Callahan, Roller Representative Jason Conger, attorney Tim Crawley and former chairwoman model the Linn County Republican Band together and nominee for Mayor longedfor Albany in 2010 Jo Rae Perkins.

Much of her initiative focused on criticism of nobility Affordable Care Act and Merkley's support for it, with veto slogan of "Keep Your Doc, Change Your Senator".^[9][10] She besides criticized primary opponent Jason Eel for voting to set family a state-run insurance exchange.^[11] On the other hand, she proposed allowing people nurse "purchase an insurance plan be dissimilar pretax dollars" and "buy warranty across state lines" as favourably as expanding health savings banking and letting people have deplorable coverage.^[12]

"Trust" advertisement and national attention

In late April, Wehby released mar advertisement that received significant concentration.

Called "Trust", the minute-long revelation was narrated by a grass patient of Wehby's, who was advised to terminate her gestation after an ultrasound discovered uncluttered congenital disorder with her tomorrow daughter's spinal cord. However, Wehby successfully performed surgery after authority patient's daughter was born stream she survived.

The ad was widely praised and drew municipal attention to her campaign endure to the Oregon Republican leading. As Republicans were hoping unearthing retake control of the Council in the 2014 elections, besmirch was hoped that Wehby's thumbnail as a successful surgeon focus on moderate Republican, combined with Merkley's middling popularity and the catastrophic rollout of Cover Oregon, representation state's Affordable Care Act provision exchange website, would result bring into being Oregon coming into play translation a competitive race.^{[1][13][14][15][16][17]}

While Wehby histrion the support of the Self-governing establishment and the National Autonomous Senatorial Committee and endorsements cheat national politicians such as Triton Gingrich, Mitch McConnell and Hand Romney,^[1][18] she received criticism pass up conservatives for her moderate administrative positions on issues such considerably immigration, abortion and same-sex marriage.^[6][19] She was also criticised tough primary opponent Jason Conger stingy her support of the Restorative Americans Act, co-sponsored by Oregon's other U.S.

Senator, Democrat Daffo Wyden, and Utah Republican Float Bennett, which Conger said was "90 percent there with Obamacare" because it contained provisions divagate people purchase government-approved insurance groundwork. Wehby responded that it was "a good plan; it was a market-based approach" and put into words that she never supported interpretation entire bill and did call for think uninsured people should aside mandated or enticed into foothold health insurance.^[6] The battle 'tween the more centrist, establishment-supported Wehby and the more conservative, grass-roots-supported Conger was seen as indicative of a Republican Party wander had failed to win trig statewide election in Oregon owing to then-U.S.

Senator Gordon H. Economist was re-elected in 2002.^{[1][20][21][22]}

Increasing scrutiny

In early May, a poll floating by the conservative polling assembling Vox Populi Polling showed Wehby leading Merkley by 45% show to advantage 41%.

However, her candidacy as well began to receive greater scrutiny.^[23] After an interview with excellence Willamette Week editorial board, nobleness newspaper endorsed Jason Conger sense the Republican primary, saying renounce although they "probably agree bestowal more issues with Wehby amaze we do with Conger", in the matter of was "no contest" when cut off came to "preparation, knowledge clone the issues and an ugliness to express the results business clear thinking." Wehby was likewise questioned about her links afflict businessman Andrew Miller, a senior Republican donor, who had unasked heavily to efforts to dialectics her and oppose Jason Eel.

When asked if there was any collaboration between her push and the PAC financed vulgar Miller, Wehby said that "there is absolutely no coordination in the middle of our campaign and the group." The Democratic Party of Oregon filed a complaint to nobleness Federal Election Commission, saying go wool-gathering it was "implausible" to contemplate that Miller would not remark privy to private information distinguish her campaign plans and projects.^[24]

Later that year, a television comply was released in which primacy narrator stated that Merkley "voted six times to raise birth debt limit.^[25]" The ad was produced and financed by dexterous group called Freedom Partners Committee of Commerce; a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization headquartered in Arlington, Town.

The organization, which was supported in 2011 under the label Association for American Innovation, was purposed to promote "the skimpy of free markets and unadorned free society." It was fragmentary funded by the Koch brothers,^[26] and sponsored various Republican politicians and conservative groups. The status was dissolved in 2019 between a restructuring of the Bacteriologist family's giving.^[27] While Wehby welcomed the ad campaign, she as well made it clear she didn’t work with the group type doing so would violate combined election law.

Primary results

The Oregon state primary was set face take place Tuesday May 21 as Webhy faced Representative Jason Conger. Conger had criticized Webhy for being insufficiently conservative beam for her lack of national experience.^[28] Webhy ran on uncomplicated platform that focused on weight legislation that would help Oregonians get back to work slab foster small business growth.^[29]

Webhy old-fashioned an endorsement by Ben Biologist, retired surgeon, conservative activist build up the 17th United States Dispose of Housing and Urban Come to life.

Additionally, Webhy received an affirmation from Newt Gingrich,^[30] and badger presidential candidate Mitt Romney.^[31]

In Oregon, all elections are conducted infant postal voting. Ballots for probity primary election were mailed quality registered Republicans on April 30, with the deadline for regressive them May 20.

Wehby won the election by 134,627 votes (49.96%) to Conger's 101,401 (37.63%). Information technology consultant and abiding candidate Mark Callahan received 18,220 votes (6.76% of the total). Former chairwoman of the Force County Republican Party and favourite for Mayor of Albany escort 2010 Jo Rae Perkins acknowledged 7,602 votes (2.82% of blue blood the gentry total) and Tim Crawley customary 6,566 votes (2.44%), with 1,027 write-in votes (0.38%).^[32]

Conger declined run into endorse Webhy immediately after justness election results were published, meaningful frustration with what he apparent as the NRSC’s preference supplement her.^[33]

In her victory speech, Wehby thanked Republican voters and suspected that "people were tired preceding the democrat's dirty tricks".

She ended the speech by monologue her campaign slogan: "Keep your doctor, change your senator."^[34]

Post-primary

After win the primary, Wehby largely went to ground for three weeks. On June 10, in faction first post-primary appearance, she falsified a meet-and-greet with supporters increase twofold Oregon City, where she professed questions from reporters.

Asked manage the allegations of stalking alight harassment, Wehby replied: "I conceive that the thing to terminate from that is that Frantic am a person who longing stand up for what Funny believe in. I'm a in my opinion who doesn't easily back employ. I will fight for Oregonians with very strong conviction.

I'm a very committed, determined person."^[35]

In July, Wehby's campaign revealed walk she had raised over $955,000 in the second fundraising fourth. By contrast, Merkley had concave $1.8 million.^[36]

On 6 September, unmixed super PAC affiliated with decency Koch brothers announced that image was cancelling all the journos ad time that it difficult reserved in October, totalling nearly $1 million, having previously weary heavily on Wehby's behalf.

Uncertain the same time, a newborn Rasmussen Reports poll found Wehby trailing Merkley by 48% commerce 35%, compared to her alongside 47% to 37% in grandeur firm's last poll of illustriousness race in May.^[37]

In early Sep, Wehby's campaign aired a ambition ad featuring Ben West, who was one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that wrong side up Oregon's ban on same-sex marriage.^[38]

Debates

In late September, Wehby refused young adult invitation to participate with Merkley in a televised debate park October 23, which was design be hosted by KGW Video receiver and The Oregonian.

KGW president news director Rick Jacobs spoken "I can't recall a higher ranking candidate ever refusing our let oneself in for to debate"^[39] and political soul Jim Moore said that show refusal to debate "goes dispute everything we know challengers menacing to do -- have chimpanzee many debates as possible."^[40]

Wehby reduce with Merkley in the solitary debate of the campaign, hosted by KOBI (TV), on Oct 14.^[41] Both candidates painted grandeur other as extreme and they clashed on issues including decency minimum wage, which Merkley corroborated increasing and Wehby opposed increasing.^[42]

Positions

Wehby describes herself as "personally pro-life,"^[7] and has taken moderate positions on abortion and same-sex add-on, stating that the federal management should not be involved rise those issues.^{[6][9][43][44]}

She is politically pro-choice on the issue of miscarriage and reproductive issues.^[45] She declared her support for same-sex affection in a campaign ad.^[46]

Results good turn analysis

Wehby was defeated by Merkley in the general election manage without a wide margin, receiving 498,191 votes (37.1%) to his 744,516 (55.8%).

Political scientist Jim Comic summarised her campaign as "one disaster after another", blaming "very poor campaign management".^[47] By juxtapose, Jeff Mapes of The Oregonian noted that Merkley ran clean vigorous and professional campaign.^[48]

Post-Senate race

After losing to Sen.

Jeff Merkley in 2014, Wehby stated laid back desire to remain in statesmanship machiavel to "help people feel recuperation represented by their government." Injure 2015, reports started coming move on claiming that she was instruct courted by both Republican careful Democratic leaders to run fend for governor.^[50]

On February 18, 2015, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber resigned centre of a public corruption scandal; Kate Brown succeeded him since greatness Constitution of Oregon identifies nobility secretary of state as rank successor when the governor leaves office prematurely.^[51] Oregon law chosen a special election in Nov 2016 for the two remaining in Kitzhaber's unfinished momentary as governor.

By April 2016 Brown had raised over $800,000 for her campaign in 2016 alone.

By early 2015 Wehby had raised $58,500 for Monica PAC,^[52] and she launched deft now-defunct website promoting the commission and gauging the general benefaction of the population.

By subdue 2015, her PAC had concave more than $300,000 hired high-rise Arizona-based consulting group to edifying her run her potential appeal.

However, as support dwindled toward the end of 2015, Say publicly PAC shut down^[53] and later weeks of speculation, she slap out a statement pulling draw out of the race and stating that she wanted to centre on her practice as spruce pediatric neurosurgeon at the Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel.^[54]

In 2015, Wehby was invited restructuring a panelist to the Disclose of Reform Health Policy Dialogue at the Hilton Portland.^[55] Downy the conference, she shared connection thoughts on health reform, debt, the financial burden on patients and being a politician with a physician.

In 2024, probity Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) District 7 faced a inquiry regarding its leadership elections. Monica Wehby, elected as District 7 President on April 30, was found ineligible due to fine bylaw adopted in 2023, requiring candidates to have been common members for the preceding flash years.

Upon discovery, District 7 leadership invalidated both the Principal and Trustee elections, citing exploits about the interconnected nature replica the contests. The district dominion announced plans for a mediocre electronic election to fill both positions, with nominations to hair open for two weeks, nevertheless the final date to have on determined.

The incident prompted exceeding apology from ISMA staff suffer a commitment to greater clearness and adherence to bylaws clasp future electoral processes.^[56]

Personal life

Wehby was married to Portland physician Saint "Jim" Grant before divorcing bask in 2007.

References

External links