Newly-formed PAC jumps into Salem council race as election winds down

Dru Draper says his days-old political action committee has jumped into Salem’s contested council race to make it more fair.

But the candidate supposedly benefitting from the late spending smells a political trick.

And so do others watching the three-way race for a seat on the Salem City Council representing northeast Salem.

The candidates include Deanna Garcia, Mai Vang and Logan Lor, and voters in Ward 6 will decide who will represent them come Election Day – Tuesday, May 20. 

Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess told Salem Reporter that so far 10.5% of ballots in Ward 6, or 1,241 out of 11,846 ballots, have been turned in. He said voter turnout is typically between 20-25% and that 30-40% of ballots come in on the final couple of days before the election.

Voters received the two-sided flyer in their mailboxes last week urging their support for Lor.  

The flyer was distributed by a political action committee called Citizens for a Better Salem.

Oregon Secretary of State records show the PAC was formed on May 8, less than two weeks ahead of election day. 

Records list Draper as the PAC’s director. He is a Republican political strategist and former spokesman for the Republican caucus in the Oregon Senate. Draper is also the co-founder of Draper Digital Communications, a communications and consulting firm specializing in politics and real estate. 

Draper told Salem Reporter the PAC’s “independent” support of Lor’s campaign was meant to level the playing field for Lor. He has so far received only a fraction of the financial support as the other two candidates. 

But Lor said he sees the move as a tactic to use his candidacy to split progressive votes between him and Vang. 

Vang said the campaign mailer from Draper’s PAC “muddies the water,” and “makes it really hard for voters to follow the money and make an informed decision about who the candidates are.” 

Vang’s campaign manager Paige Barton, who is also the chair of the Marion County Democrats, said the mailers appear intended to siphon votes from her candidate to Lor. That in turn pulls down Vang’s share of the vote while increasing Garcia’s.

Betsy Schultz, Garcia’s campaign manager, told Salem Reporter she was unaware of the mailer and had nothing to do with its distribution. 

“I was completely surprised to hear about that mailer this morning,” Schultz told Salem Reporter. 

Garcia told Salem Reporter she wasn’t happy. 

“I don’t know who they (Citizens for a Better Salem PAC) are and I’ve never heard the name Dru Draper before…but I plan on asking questions and lighting someone up if it’s somebody who thinks they are working on my behalf because that was never something that was greenlit or ran by me.”

Garcia leads the race in campaign funding with the lion’s share of dollars coming from a statewide political action committee representing Realtors, and is backed by the conservative Marion + Polk First group. 

Vang is supported by the Marion County Democrats and Progressive Salem and comes in second in campaign finance. 

Lor, a registered Democrat, takes pride in his political independence as he seeks a chance to represent his ward. He is not endorsed by either political party.

“We believe voters deserve access to information about all the candidates, not just those backed by political parties or with the money to fund expensive mailers,” Draper said. “Logan Lor is a longtime public servant with deep roots in Salem who brings a serious perspective on local issues. Our independent support helps ensure his voice is part of the conversation.”

Lor said he wasn’t consulted and didn’t ask for the PAC’s support.

“I just got one in the mail, and I was like, ‘Oh, wow. That’s strange,’” Lor told Salem Reporter in an interview. “It’s a clever tactic…I didn’t endorse it (the mailer). I didn’t know anything about it until I got a flyer in the mail. So, whoever this group is, and if it’s doing what I think it is doing, it is trying to split the vote.” 

The website for Draper’s consulting firm said it  “provides clients with the tools and resources they need to get their message across and accomplish their goals.”

“Dru has a proven track record of helping clients get elected, legislators communicate effectively, and advocacy groups activate their supporters,” the website said. 

Lor said the mailer got some personal details wrong about him, most notably claiming that he is a “first-generation refugee.” 

“I was born in Laos and raised in a refugee camp. So, I am not first-generation here. I’m half-generation, if anything,” Lor said.

The mischaracterization in the mailer didn’t sit well with Lor, and he said he feels both political parties are using him for their own gain. 

“I feel like the Democratic and the Republican parties are using me as a pawn to further their party agenda,” Lor said. “They tried to put words in my mouth or take things that I shared out of context. Instead of trying to understand my views and perspectives, they insert their own interpretation. It’s disgusting the twisted and cruel lengths people will go to grasp power.” 

Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 503-335-7790.

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