Editorials, Opinion In this year’s race for 18th District state senator, incumbent Ann Rivers is facing a worthy challenger in Eric Holt.
Holt, a former truck driver and current regional safety coordinator for Gilmour & Company, has demonstrated that he is well-spoken and articulate in his views. He supports the Columbia River Crossing project, would like to see education reform and is strongly in favor of citizen involvement in the political process.
Despite these attributes, however, he cannot match the experience, credentials and work ethic that Rivers brings to the table.
Rivers has served two years in the state House of Representatives and four in the state Senate. During that time, she has made decisions that show she is an independent thinker. She was heavily involved in much-needed efforts to bring balance to the state’s recreational marijuana market and medical marijuana systems. When it comes to education, the former teacher has passionately voiced her desire to promote and support alternatives to college, and return some of the power over the educational process in the classroom back to students and teachers.
While Rivers opposed the Columbia River Crossing project, during the recent forum at Camas High School she voiced support for an approach to addressing local transportation issues that makes sense: Replace the I-5 bridge and implement other traffic solutions that will continue to ease congestion in other areas. What those “other traffic solutions” are remain to be seen, but it shows she is on the right path toward finding remedies.
