Working Families Party

Coos Bay – The Oregon Working Families Party today announced its cross-nomination of Arnie Roblan in the race for State Representative in district 9.

“The Working Families Party is proud to support Rep. Roblan” said Dawn DesBrisay a member of the ILWU Local 40 and the WFP nominating committee. “He has a record of standing up for working people on the issues that count, like good jobs, quality public education, and quality, affordable health care.”

“Too often, partisan politics gets in the way of doing what is right for Oregonians,” said Roblan. “When I was elected State Representative I went to the Capitol to fight for our entire community, not just those registered in a particular political party. The Working Families Party recognizes that the issues that really matter to Oregonians...good jobs and good schools...go beyond partisan divisions. I share this belief.”
The WFP evaluates the records of all the candidates on issues that matter to working class and middle class families and supports the ones who demonstrate a commitment to fighting for working people.


“We look forward to working with Rep. Roblan on our priority issues next year, including a state bank which would keep Oregon’s money in Oregon rather than sending it to the Wall Street banks, and a disability insurance program for all Oregonians,” said DesBrisay.

In determining whom to nominate, the WFP asked candidates around the state to declare their opinions on five priority issues: the WFP’s proposal for a state-owned bank; a proposed state disability insurance program; sustainable jobs state funding for job creation only when the jobs are long term jobs, in Oregon, paying decent wages; debt-free higher education; and the right of workers to choose without interference whether or not to join a union. The WFP held regional caucuses in each of Oregon’s five congressional districts, where members reviewed candidate questionnaires and made recommendations for nominations.
The Working Families Party is an independent, grassroots political party founded in 2006 to focus on bread and butter economic issues. It utilizes Oregon’s “fusion voting” process, an electoral reform signed into law in 2009, which allows minor parties to “cross-nominate” candidates from other parties. Candidates in the 2010 elections can run with up to three parties’ nominations on the ballot.