Former Star with the NBA

From Eric Dondero:

What is it about former athletes turned Republican politicians that they tend towards the Reaganesque supply-sider side of the free market economics spectrum?

Meet Chris Dudley. Talk about a political race that has been completely under the radar of the national news media. He's a former NBA star, which you would think would warrant him some major attention. And he just won the Republican nomination for Governor. But outside of Oregon, there's been little attention given to this race. Perhaps his party affiliation as an 'R' has caused the media to shy away?

Dudley was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at an early age. Despite his handicap he went on to star for Yale, and later played 16 seasons in the NBA, 6 for the Portland Trailblazers. He and his wife Chris (her actual name), and their three children live in Lake Oswego.

The very latest poll has him ahead of his Democrat opponent John Kizhaber by a hair. From Rasmussen via Hedgehog:

OREGON – GOVERNOR (Rasmussen)
Chris Dudley (R) 45%
John Kitzhaber (D) 44%

Taking after another famous Sports Legend & Supply Sider

The Dudley campaign is running on Jobs First! with a special emphasis on private sector employment.

From his campaign website:

As Governor, Chris Dudley will make Oregon’s tax system more attractive for existing businesses, new businesses, entrepreneurs and people with investment income; will reduce the highest-in-the-nation state capital gains tax rate; will increase tax deductions for businesses making new capital investments (bonus depreciation); and will work to reduce Oregon’s highest-in-the-nation taxes that unfairly tax too many small, unprofitable and start-up businesses.

Now the Dudley campaign has released further details on his job creation plan. And it hails from a decidedly Jack Kemp-ian direction.

From the Statesman-Journal:

The massive shortfall in revenue is the direct result of a lack of leadership and common sense in Salem. Neglecting private-sector job growth of course will result in a decline in personal incomes and tax revenue.

The solution, however, for long-term budget shortfalls is within our grasp. We need to lower the cost of government. I have proposed doing this by ending automatic budget increases, reducing state employee health-care premiums and curbing PERS costs. And on the revenue side we can increase tax collections not by raising taxes, but by creating new taxpayers.

Reviving our economy is the only long-term way to balance our state budget without raising taxes.

Expanding the taxpayer base instead of raising taxes. What a concept?