NBC5 spoke with both republican candidates to see why they feel they’re the best fit for Jackson County residents.
Former city councilor, police officer, and long time realtor Bob Strosser announced his plans to run for Jackson County Commissioner Friday.
“This is a great valley,” Bob Strosser said, “and I have very strong feelings about keeping it that way.”
Strosser says public safety and good paying jobs for Southern Oregon’s young workforce are top priorities.
“Rivers, and fish, and all of that are great but our kids are our greatest natural resource and we don’t want them leaving to be able to find a job,” Strosser adds.
Strosser will face off against current incumbent, Doug Breidenthal, who says his experience and track record make him the best fit.
“We’ve stabilized libraries, we’ve stabilized our OSU extension system, our 4H, our master gardeners,” Doug Breidenthal says.
He says his role as president of the Western Interstate Region also allows Jackson County to be a prominent player in both regional and national policy.
“I would hate to see Jackson County give that up,” Breidenthal says, “because there’s nobody poised in the state of Oregon to pick that torch up and carry it forward.”
Breidenthal says an investigation by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission won’t hurt his campaign.
“I’m very confident there will be no significant findings in this,” he says, “there’s no criminal activity.”
Strosser says he won’t speculate on the ethics complaint filed against the incumbent, but says he will bring integrity and credibility to the position if elected.
“Whichever way it comes out, it comes out,” Strosser says, “but I’m not going to make comments or tamper with the objectivity of the process.”
On the democratic side the only candidate to file is Jeffrey Thomas, chair of the Medford School Board and general manger of the computer store Connecting Point.
The primary will be held May 17, 2016.
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