Jim Torrey
Encyclopedia
Jim Torrey is a politician in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. He served eight years as mayor
of Eugene
. Torrey was a Republican
candidate for the 2006 Oregon State Senate
. He was defeated by incumbent Vicki Walker
. Torrey was first elected to public office at the age of 21, when he won a seat on the Waldport city council.
race for mayor of Eugene as an Independent
candidate. According to news sources that would make Torrey the first candidate of the newly formed Independent Party of Oregon
to run for election in Oregon if he succeeds in getting his name on the ballot.
Torrey's decision as a former two term mayor to challenge the current mayor Kitty Piercy
, a first term incumbent, is seen as an "unprecedented contest" in Eugene politics.
Jeff Mapes, a political analyst with The Oregonian
, describes the election:
An unsubstantiated charge that Torrey donated to the re-election 2004 campaign of George W. Bush
and his role on the Eugene School District
school board promoting higher taxes during its recent closures and mergers remain controversial, as both, themselves, are widely viewed as polarizing events. A search of the Federal Elections Commission website turned up no donations to President Bush, but two federal donations (one to Senator
Gordon H. Smith in 2001 and one to the Oregon Republican Party
in 2003) can be verified.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. He served eight years as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
. Torrey was a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for the 2006 Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
. He was defeated by incumbent Vicki Walker
Vicki Walker
Vicki Lynn Walker is an American politician and administrator from Oregon. She is the Oregon State Director for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A member of the Democratic Party, Walker previously served in both houses of the Oregon Legislature and briefly served as chair...
. Torrey was first elected to public office at the age of 21, when he won a seat on the Waldport city council.
Oregon Independent Party mayoral candidacy
Torrey filed for the 2008-05-20 primaryPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
race for mayor of Eugene as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate. According to news sources that would make Torrey the first candidate of the newly formed Independent Party of Oregon
Independent Party of Oregon
The Independent Party of Oregon is a political party in the U.S. state of Oregon. The IPO is Oregon's third-largest political party and the largest minor party of the state, with 68,516 registrants since its inception in January 2007 making up 3.37% of Oregon's registered voters...
to run for election in Oregon if he succeeds in getting his name on the ballot.
Torrey's decision as a former two term mayor to challenge the current mayor Kitty Piercy
Kitty Piercy
Kitty Piercy is an American politician. She is the current mayor of Eugene, Oregon, sworn in January 2005 and re-elected to a second term in 2008. During the 1990s, she was Minority Leader of the Oregon House of Representatives....
, a first term incumbent, is seen as an "unprecedented contest" in Eugene politics.
Jeff Mapes, a political analyst with The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
, describes the election:
Both are smart, tough and tested politicians who I expect to sharply debate how best to nurture the economy and livability of Eugene. In other words, kind of like the debate you might get from Sam Adams and Sho DozonoSho DozonoSho Dozono is a Portland, Oregon businessman and was a candidate for the 2008 Portland mayoral race. Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams was the front runner throughout the race...
in PortlandPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
An unsubstantiated charge that Torrey donated to the re-election 2004 campaign of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and his role on the Eugene School District
Eugene School District
Eugene School District is a public school district in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is one of two school districts that serve the city of Eugene.-Demographics:...
school board promoting higher taxes during its recent closures and mergers remain controversial, as both, themselves, are widely viewed as polarizing events. A search of the Federal Elections Commission website turned up no donations to President Bush, but two federal donations (one to Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Gordon H. Smith in 2001 and one to the Oregon Republican Party
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
in 2003) can be verified.