Not content to let any moss grow under his feet, Marion County Republican Rep. Bill Post (Dist. 25) became the first of our legislative contingent to announce his bid for re-election. His 11 September newsletter was dedicated to the announcement, consisting largely of the press release issued by his office the day prior. "So there you have it! Now it's official and we can press on with the unfinished business you sent me to do in Salem," he commented in the letter, "and that is cut government out of our lives and let business, agriculture and people be free to prosper!"

"It has been an incredible privilege for me to represent the people of House District 25 in the legislature this past session," Rep Post said in his announcement. "The 2015 session was one of the most partisan in state history. While that was a tough environment to be a minority member, I learned a lot and made some key relationships in my own party and across the aisle."

As a freshman member of the House, Rep. Post claimed success with the passage of a bill he authored, House Bill 2969, "which cuts red tape for small businesses." While accurate and in keeping with his principle of loosening the regulatory noose on the necks of Oregon's businesses, the claim is a bit overbroad. The bill simply removed from ORS 433.847 the prohibition against consumption of food on the premises of a smoke shop, thus allowing employees (and customers, too) to eat their lunch at work.

On the other hand, even though he worked up to the bitter end of the session, he was unable to pass a concealed handgun reciprocity bill. Despite passing the House "almost unanimously", the bill died in the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by none other than Sen. Floyd Prozanski, perhaps the most ardent opponent of gun owners in the legislature. Arguing that Oregon is the only state not offering reciprocity and buoyed by a strong bipartisan effort in the Senate to get it passed over the senator's objections, Rep. Post vowed, "I will continue to champion this issue in the sessions ahead."

Because Rep. Post remained true to his principles — and those of Marion County Republicans — through a tough session, and since he handily defeated a candidate with widespread name familiarity and fairly extensive government experience in his first campaign, he could give voice to his confidence that he will be re-elected in 2016. Thus, in his appeal for campaign donations, he confided that it's not just about him. "I need your financial help to not only build up my own 'war chest' for 2016 but I want to help get OTHER 'like minded' Republicans elected in 2016 and we have to start working NOW!!", he urged. And when reminding the readers of his letter about the Oregon Political Tax Credit, he repeated his intent to help others, saying,"I will NOT waste a dime, but will use it not only to get myself back to the Oregon Legislature but others like me."

House District 25 encompasses the cities of Keizer and Newberg and the agricultural enterprises in between, along with St. Paul.