Mike Erickson
Mike Erickson
Editor’s Note: Oregon’s 6th Congressional District is its newest following a growing population documented in the 2020 Census. While the primaries in the district saw a flood of candidates (and campaign cash), Democratic state Rep. Andrea Salinas and Republican businessman Mike Erickson emerged as the nominees in their party’s primaries. OPB reached out to both candidates to get their views on issues that are top of mind for voters this November. Here are the responses from Republican Mike Erickson.
Do you believe there was widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election?
No, yet having free and secure elections is essential.
How accessible do you find voting in Oregon?
Voting is very accessible in Oregon as a result of vote by mail. Increased accessibility and ease of voting also requires increased oversight by state officials to ensure safe and secure elections.
What is one policy you’d advocate for in Congress to reduce the effects of inflation in your district?
Move toward energy independence, so we are not at the mercy of foreign producers.
Oregon recently released a wildfire risk map showing a significant part of your district at high risk for wildfire home damage in the future. What federal policies would you support to reduce wildfire risks in Oregon?
Allow states to have greater control over forest land. States need to have the power to engage in appropriate forest management activities (E.g., cutting down trees if needed) without being subject to the burdensome federal bureaucracy.
Oregon has been a frequent site for political extremism in recent years. Why do you think that is, and what is Congress’ role in addressing it?
Congressional partisanship, outright arguments, and disrespect set a poor example for Oregonians and all Americans. We must model that in Congress if we expect citizens to listen to each other respectfully. While congressional representatives should strongly encourage citizens to get involved in the political process, including peaceful protests, they must speak out against any violence with a unified voice.
Do you believe Congress should take action on abortion access following the overturning of Roe v. Wade? What action should they take?
No. Allow voters to decide it through state-level ballot measures.
If elected, you would be the first representative of Oregon’s 6th congressional district. What is one change you’d like to make happen to improve the lives of the people in that district?
Tackle inflation and the increasing fuel cost immediately and do all I can to help keep citizens safe — support law enforcement and curtail drug trafficking through our unsecured border.
What national policies would you support to address homelessness and housing shortages in the West?
Increase the current supply of affordable housing by streaming regulatory approval processes and encourage and support the construction industry. In addition, support communities in their own innovative programs to help move our most vulnerable people off the streets.
Health care costs for people in the U.S. have grown substantially in the last decade, even more so for Oregonians. Do you think Congress should address this, and if so, how?
Regulations and programs instituted by Congress have not lowered health care costs or made it more accessible. Congress must work to maintain a patient-centered health care system with choices for citizens. Americans want to choose their own doctors and clinics.
Keep insurance prices low through fair competition and choices of plans. Americans should be able to manage their own health care costs as much as possible through programs such as Medical or Flexible Spending Accounts. Medicare reform should be considered, such as offering more choices and benefits (like those provided to congressional members) to Medicare-eligible adults.
There is a crisis in staffing in all health care fields. Physicians are leaving health care, so people are struggling to find doctors. We must tackle issues that plague the medical field, such as bureaucracy (nonclinical paperwork), insurance costs (malpractice/liability), and reimbursements to maintain sufficient practitioners to meet citizens’ needs.
Do you think Congress should take further actions to address the impacts of climate change, and if so, what would those policies look like?
Climate change is a major global issue. The United States has taken an essential role in ensuring policy decisions all contain a climate action component. We must support American innovation as we move to cleaner energy. In addition, American infrastructure must be ready to handle new clean energy options. We can’t rush this process without modernizing our energy grid.
Clearly, we must look at this as a global problem. We need to become energy independent. Continuing to rely on China and Russia for energy, steel, and other products is supporting countries that don’t have the same environmental standards as the U.S.