Griffith Election Night Party

Come join us for an Election Night celebration for volunteers, supporters, staff and family of Steve Griffith as we await the results of his campaign to be elected to the Oregon House of Representatives.

Come eat, drink and be merry as the political landscape of both Oregon and the U.S. takes shape before our very eyes!

It is because of you that our campaign even exists, and we want to show how thankful we are to have such a large and diverse group of people who, like Steve, want what is best for Oregon.

Here is what you need to know:

- We will start at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, as the polls close in the state of Oregon.

- The event will be held at Steve's house:

10221 SW Terwilliger Place
Portland, OR 97219

- Refreshments will be provided

This will be a night of good cheer, great people, and American history. We hope you can join us!

RSVP to:

- VoteGriffith@gmail.com
-or-
- 503 621-2621

Campaign Hits High Speed, Eye on Election Day

As we are now in the final 4 weeks of campaigning, we are in full stride meeting voters at the door, farmer's markets, and almost nightly in-district neighborhood coffee events. It is crucial to show your support for Steve now more than ever!

If you want a bumper sticker, button, or lawn sign, please send your information to VoteGriffith@gmail.com or call 503 621-2621 and we'll help you help us.

We encourage all of our supporters to check the website in the coming weeks leading up to the election for updates and quotes from supporters of every political inclination. R, D, I, or otherwise... everyone is backing our guy!

Thanks for your ongoing support... and Go Griffith!

Josh

Griffith Campaign Welcomes a Friend from the Past

On Friday, October 3, the campaign will be welcoming Jabah Howard to House District 38 as he flies in from Detroit, Michigan to help Steve make the final push toward Election Day. Although it may seem far-fetched for someone to take time away from their own busy schedule and fly across the country to canvass for an Oregon candidate in a House race, the story is actually quite a bit deeper than that.

Some 40 years ago, Jabeh was the first in his family to attend school at Gboveh (B0-Fay) High School in West Liberia, Africa. He eventually made his way to the Detroit area to attend the Lawrence Technological University and earn his degree. He is currently the head mechanical engineer for the entire Detroit school district.

It was a fundraising letter sent early this Summer that brings him now to the Portland area to give back to one of his former teachers during his days at Gboveh High School

Steve was 24 years old when he, via the Peace Corps, made his way to Liberia to teach at Gboveh High School and first met Jabeh, then a 15 year old student. 38 years later Jabeh is returning the good will by lending a helping hand to his campaign.

Friday night will include a gathering in Lake Oswego where supporters can meet both Steve and Jabeh, hear a little bit about politics, and likely a little more about a friendship that has endured over nearly 4 decades and several thousand miles. Saturday will be spent canvassing at the Farmer's Market at Millenium Park in Lake Oswego as well as nearby neighborhoods, and Sunday we will bid farewell to a volunteer who has provided us with our most unique campaign story to date.

Welcome, Jabah. And thank you for helping our cause!

Griffith at the Great Wall

This photo courtesy of volunteer extraordinaire Austin Shiner, who found time to don the campaign T-shirt between Olympic events and make his way to the Great Wall of China. To House District 38... and beyond!

Midsummer's Night Benefit Concert a Success!

This Wednesday was an important night for the Griffith Campaign. After weeks of working to make a difference in the lives of the voters of House District 38, the candidate, his volunteers, and supporters alike gathered to make a difference in the world.

These individuals did so by organizing and hosting a “Midsummer’s Night” benefit concert to raise money for both earthquake relief in China and mosquito nets for Malaria stricken parts of Africa. Friends, volunteers, and the candidate himself enjoyed a summertime potluck dinner before witnessing the talents of both the young and old, students and volunteers, Democrats and Republicans.

The event was a success with over seven hundred dollars raised and sent to the Mercy Corps earthquake relief and Nothing But Nets for mosquito nets in Africa. Thank you to all those who volunteered, performed, and donated to a wonderful cause. You all have made a difference that is bigger than this campaign and the race for the House District 38 seat- you have made a difference in thousands of lives around the world.

Griffith Lawn Signs

Every Saturday at the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market, passersby and market attendees are greeted by a large red tent and the smiling young faces of supporters of the Griffith campaign as well as the candidate, Steve Griffith, himself. But if you ask these individuals what the most memorable part of their interaction with the candidate or his volunteers is the answer probably references the effectiveness of the miniature lawn signs.
Constructed of craft sticks and card stock, the miniature Griffith lawns signs have been a major hit as they interest the voters and create excitement about the campaign and politics during this election season. Though the signs are merely fun and decorative, they represent a very real message, man, and candidate with ideas about how to make Oregon and District 38 a better place.
With the success of the miniature lawn signs noted, the Griffith campaign is looking to further promote the candidate on a larger scale using the full-sized version of the Griffith lawn sign. People with the miniature versions love them as they have been displayed in various flower arrangements and potted plants or simply waved around in the hands of young children who are excited to be included in this grassroots campaign to win the seat during this historic elections season.
To achieve our goal of winning the seat in November, the Griffith Campaign is asking for your help. If you are at all interested in showing your support for Steve Griffith and his ideas, putting up a lawn sign in your yard is a wonderful opportunity to do so!

Please contact the campaign:

Email at votegriffith@gmail.com
-or-
Phone: Josh (503)799-8815

(The signs are blue with the Griffith logo and would be put up in early August)

Steve Griffith for Oregon House JULY CALENDAR

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steve Griffith for Oregon House
JULY CALENDAR
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Dear Student Volunteers,

Here is the Griffith Campaign Schedule of Events for the month of July. We would love for you to be able to join us at as many of the events as possible to help Steve win the seat in November!

Throughout July, the "Wednesday Canvassing Parties" will continue from 6pm-8pm at Steve's House before each of the speakers and, of course, dessert and intellectual discussion will follow.(Wednesday July 16th, 23rd, 30th)

Also, the Saturday morning Lake Oswego Farmers' Market will continue and we would love it if you all could be there to show support for Steve from 10am-1pm...wearing your awesome campaign T-Shirts, meeting and engaging with market attendees, and canvassing the nearby First Addition neighborhood. (Saturday 12th, 19th, 26th)

Wednesday July 16th--Dave Frohnmayer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave Frohnmayer will be speaking at 1pm at Stoel Rives on the 26th floor. His is a former State Representative, a former Attorney General for the State of Oregon, and currently serves as the President of the University of Oregon in Eugene. He will be speaking about the qualities that make a good, effective leader and those qualities that have proven most influential throughout history.

Wednesday July 23rd--Don Balmer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Following canvassing from 6-8pm on Wednesday, Don Balmer will be speaking. He is a retired Professor of Political Science from Lewis and Clark College and he will be speaking about the significance of Political Parties in today's politics.

Wednesday July 30th--Musical Night at Steve's
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Join us for a Musical Celebration featuring YOU! Bring your musical talents to share, jam with fellow volunteers and Steve, and enjoy a light potluck dinner beforehand and bring a special dish of your own!

We have made great progress so far and we would like to continue with your help!

Please let us know if you can be with us for these exciting events!

votegriffith@gmail.com

Griffith Campaign at the LO Farmer's Market

This past Saturday the Farmer’s Market of Lake Oswego was abuzz with the normal activities of morning shoppers interested in the fresh produce, seafood, flowers and everything in between. For the first time in recent memory, blues skies and sunshine were also in attendance… along with a newcomer… candidate for the Oregon House of Representatives from District 38, Steve Griffith. Alongside fresh lettuce, flowers, seafood, and jams, Griffith and his group of energetic volunteers stood introducing themselves to and integrating with the Lake Oswego community. People were pleasantly surprised by the candidate’s presence as such a true “Oregonian,” and, in this case, “Lake Oswegan” event. Beneath the sunshine and among the freshly harvested products, Griffith was in his element, meeting people and introducing them to his personality and ideas he believes are the most important to Oregon’s future.

While Griffith spoke with the voters within the market, his band of driven college-age volunteers continued to carry his message beyond the border of the Farmer’s Market and into the surrounding neighborhoods. Clad in blue Griffith T-Shirts, the volunteers went door-to-door to educate voters about Griffith’s platform and issues he believes in and supports. Volunteer Austin said “working with Steve is a joy…even as a Democrat, working with him is just as rewarding because I know I am supporting a man who believes in working together to solve Oregon’s issues through non-partisanship.” This is truly the message Griffith is successfully promoting during his door-to-door interaction with voters as well as in public events such as the Farmer’s Market.

With volunteers such as Austin and many other high-school and college-aged students, Griffith will begin to host different “Speaker Series” on Wednesday in which his volunteers will be exposed to many different ideas centered on the political process and the responsibilities of a leader. These volunteers will have the opportunity to listen to, meet with, and discuss these topics with influential leaders from Oregon’s society in an informal setting in which they will get to know the candidate better as well as learn from both past and present leaders. Griffith believes there is no better way to keep the attention and interest of a volunteer corps than to consistently reward them for their hard work and dedication to his campaign.

Griffith and SOLV at LO's Tryon Creek Park

Griffith Lends a Hand at Weekend Clean Up of Nettle Creek

Care and Ownership of Land Important For District 38 Candidate


Lake Oswego: Steve Griffith got down and dirty this past Saturday for Oregon-based conservation group SOLV, in an effort to clear invasive ivy and canary grass from Lake Oswego’s Nettle Creek. Griffith, a candidate for state representative from Lake Oswego and Southwest Portland, was among a handful of volunteers who gave their time on a warm Saturday morning to help preserve one of the tributaries of Tryon Creek.

“It was a hot day, but we had incredible energy and talent out in the woods,” said Griffith. “It shows what great things can be accomplished by working together. We not only helped clean up Nettle Creek, we solved the problems of the world in our conversations.”

Conservation, as well as Education, Health and Good Government, is a high priority issue in Steve Griffith’s quest for a seat in the Oregon House of Representatives. A true conservationist, Griffith has made a point of taking advantage of the opportunities that abound in Oregon’s vast and unparalleled out-of-doors as a cyclist, rower, backpacker, and climber. In addition, he has served on the Board of Directors for the Oregon League of Conservation Voters.

Griffith also helped with SOLV’s cleanup of the Oregon Coast in Seaside last month. He says, “SOLV is classic Oregon, hearkening back to the care and ownership of the land that Tom McCall championed. We truly need more Jack McGowan’s (SOLV’s retiring President) in the world. Jack leads people away from just talking about problems to actually doing something to solve those problems.”

Griffith will take on the winner of the May 20 Primary Election between Democrats Linda Brown and Chris Garrett.



###

Griffith Conquers L.O. Lake Run

House of Representatives candidate Steve Griffith showed true grit and his long time commitment to kids and education by running every step ofthe way in the last weekend's 12 kilometer Lake Oswego Run to benefit women's and children's charities in the Portland area.

Griffith was interviewed afterwards by an unnamed reporter.

Q: What was it like out there?
A: I'm alive.

Q: How was the course?
A: Seemed like the whole thing was uphill.

Q: But you finished where you started?
A. Doesn't matter. It seemed like the whole thing was uphill. To me it was more like a political race than a running race.

Q: What do you mean?
A: Well in a political race, you depend on a lot of other people to cross the finish line. There were just a lot of positive people along that course.

Q: Please explain?
A: It seemed like all of Lake Oswego was out for the event. I pretended they were cheering for me, especially the little kids with the hoses and the cold water. There was some heavy civic spirit there.

Q: What was the high point?
A: Some driver recognized me in my shorts, which I guarantee I don't wear when I go door to door, and shouted "Vote for Griffith!" That had me going forward for several minutes.

Q: What was the low point?
A: About three-quarters of the way the course turns up this steep road called Summit Drive. I wasn't real interested in running up a mountainat that point.

Q: Meet any people?
A: You bet. A guy named Josh and a woman named Cindy.

Q: What were their last names?
A: I don't know. That's the thing about running. You're always on a first name basis and you never care about the last name. You're just friends.

Q: The race was to benefit Lake Oswego Schools. Which one did you choose?
A: Bryant Elementary. A couple of nights ago I was going door-to-door and I had a great talk with a music teacher from Bryant. So I dedicated my run to what she's doing with the kids.

Q: 7.4 miles. You going to do this again?
A: I believe in education big time. If I can help the teachers and kids of Lake Oswego, I'll sacrifice my body. It's all mental, you know.

Q: Really?
A: Yep. Next time I'm going to encourage others to join me.

Griffith Earns Lake Oswego Review Endorsement

Republicans Should Support Steve Griffith

There’s at least one candidate in the District 38 race who won’t lose sleep come election eve on May 20.

...

Griffith, 62, quite truthfully, is a fascinating man. He’s an attorney, a former member of the Portland School Board and previously served as counsel to the Oregon House Judiciary Committee. In talking with him, one senses almost a larger-than-life sense of humor that is pecking away somewhere in the back of his very sharp mind.

Though not a simple man, he has focused on a few issues for his campaign: Education, economy and environment, health and “good government.”

His campaign is quiet right now. But come November, he could make the race interesting. We are happy to suggest that Republican voters offer Griffith support and back him in the primary.

Steve is excited and ready for the upcoming race with his Democratic competition as his campaign gathers more steam for the political road ahead...

Please feel free to email us with any questions or concerns at voteforgriffith@gmail.com

A Volunteer Account - by Sarah Coghill

I was fortunate enough to meet Steve one early morning in December while enjoying coffee at a small Coffee Nook in Lake Oswego with my Grandpa and his group of friends. Steve was being informally interviewed by this group of friends, a number of whom are retired or semi-retired judges. As a Political Science and International Relations student at the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, I was in awe of Steve’s remarkable academic background and, therefore, I was very interested in what he had to say.

Today, I am privileged to say, that I am working as an intern for Steve’s campaign for the Oregon House as well as getting academic credit for my experience. As an educator, Steve was instrumental in making this happen and has designed a diverse and interesting internship for me to experience all aspects of a political campaign. I have done everything from helping map out the most effective locations to put lawns signs in order to get the word out to researching and writing briefs on government ethics in Oregon…and, of course, there are the regular intern errands I run as well. Overall, my experience working with Steve and the rest of his Campaign team so far has been extremely rewarding, academically stimulating, and will be an experience I will never forget as I continue pursuing my Political and International studies at the University of Oregon.

I am looking forward to continuing my work throughout the summer as the race begins to tighten and things become more interesting on the political front. Being a part of Steve’s team has been great so far and I will be excited to work with more individuals who are also invested in Steve’s cause and are interested in the Oregon political process.

Sarah Coghill
Sophomore, University of Oregon
Griffith for Oregon House Volunteer

Steve on BoJack.org

A post on Jack Bogdanski's blog covering Oregon Politics shortly following our official filing. Writes Jack:

My favorite Republican

My dear friend Steve Griffith has made it official -- he's running for the Legislature. You will not find a kinder, sweeter, brighter, more progressive person anywhere. The only catch -- he's not of the Democratic persuasion. But then again, I think I saw a Merkley sticker on his car.
I remember back when Steve made his first run for the Portland School Board. A group of his dedicated friends scoured the city asking complete strangers to let them put signs on their lawns. Many did, and he won by the very narrowest of margins. So began two terms of excellent service to the city's public schools.

Don't get me started on Steve stories. I could go all night extolling the man's virtues. If he wants to do this, the voters of his district owe it to themselves to make it happen.
(BTW, I think the O story's got it wrong. I believe Steve's address is in Portland -- close to the L.O. border, but not actually in Oswegoland.)

-

Jack is obviously a close friend of Steve's and was one of the first bloggers to extoll the virtues of a candidate choosing to embrace issues and policy, not partisan politics... and we're sure he won't be the last.

JT

Official Website Coming Soon

Our Web guru is working hard to construct our main site, but while you're here take note of what we plan on using as our site for volunteers, community members, and those who want to see both the professional, serious part of a campaign as well as the highly energized, grassroots side.

This site will grow to include blog posts from all those involved with our effort including an extremely savvy and ever-growing youth contingent, to press releases about Steve and the District, to information about how you can get involved and help one of Oregon's most progressive Republican movements.

Email VoteGriffith@gmail.com for more information, and don't forget to bookmark us!

-------

Josh Tompkins

Campaign Manager

As Ore. GOP searches for relevance, fresh faces emerge

03/02/2008
By JULIA SILVERMAN / Associated Press

Lawyer Stephen Griffith is a political recruiter's dream. His resume includes Harvard, Stanford and Oxford; he's served on the Portland school board and on the board of directors for the Oregon League of Conservation Voters.

But Griffith faces a difficult challenge in his run to represent Lake Oswego and southwest Portland in the state House of Representatives. He will be running as a Republican in a year when the state party is in debt and Democrats are expected to extend their domination of Oregon politics.

Griffith and other Republicans running in swing districts say they know the odds, but rebuilding their party has to begin somewhere, so why not with them?

"It may be a troubled party now, it can be doctrinaire, but it doesn't mean it has to be that way," Griffith said. "It doesn't mean I can't try."

Republicans concede they have no chance of taking back the state Senate in 2008. They haven't even announced candidates to run against Democratic Sens. Laurie Monnes-Anderson of Gresham and Joanne Verger of Coos Bay, both of whom were assumed to be vulnerable.
As for the House, Republicans enter the election season trailing by two seats, so it's possible they could retake the chamber they lost in 2006.

The GOP lacks candidates in some key House districts. A few Republicans, however, have emerged in potentially competitive races, such as the seat held by Rep. Larry Galizio, D-Tigard, and the one being vacated by former House Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village.
And then there's Griffith. Erudite and patrician, he's a throwback to the days when moderate Republicans such as Gov. Tom McCall and Sen. Mark Hatfield were leading the party. These days, conservatives might disparagingly refer to Griffith as a "RINO," or "Republican in Name Only."

He acknowledges that he could have had an easier time if he had switched his registration and run as a Democrat, or even if he had moved to a neighboring district that's also got an open seat and a history of electing Republicans. But remaking a party, Griffith says, starts with broadening its scope.

"I'm not a very partisan person," he said. "What I would hope to bring to the political process is a little less calculation, more authenticity."

That kind of post-partisan ideal, most often voiced on the national campaign trail by Barack Obama, is echoed by John Nelsen, a Reynolds school board chair who is hoping to hang onto the seat Karen Minnis held for years, even in a district with a 9-point Democratic voter registration edge. He jokes that while it may be a difficult year to be a Republican in Oregon, it's been a difficult lifetime to be a Republican in liberal Multnomah County. And yet he's survived.

"I am really tired of the rancor between the parties," Nelsen said. "I'm setting up (get-to-know-you) coffees now, and virtually every one is at the home of a Democrat."

...

Tony Marino, who is running against Galizio, said he was persuaded to run by party leaders.
"There was an outcry from the party, of 'Look, we need this district,'" Marino said. "They said, 'We believe you are the one.' That empowered me. It felt like I could begin making a difference.
He said he knows he's got an uphill battle: Galizio is a two-term incumbent who has been rising at the Capitol, and chairs the influential Ways and Means subcommittee on education, a topic that's front and center in the fast-growing suburban district.
But competition breeds new ideas, he said.

"Even if just the sliver of my ideas were able to influence him (Galizio) in his decision-making, I will feel like I did something good," Marino said.

Even now, with Republicans seemingly in free-fall, and Democrats in the ascendancy in Oregon, both sides seem to know the pendulum will eventually swing back. Rep. Diane Rosenbaum, D-Portland, said as much in her valedictory speech at the end of the just-concluded February special session, telling her colleagues across the aisle that their time, sooner or later, would come.
Griffith said that's the mark of a democracy, and a real reason to run for office, even against seemingly long odds.

"Really, long term, it's not healthy for Oregon to have only one vibrant party," he said. "There comes a time when the interests of that one party will diverge from the common good. The longer they are in power, the more that's true."

Campaign Sees Huge March Push

In the less than three weeks since his March 5 campaign kick-off event, Republican House of Representatives candidate Steve Griffith (District 38: Lake Oswego, SW Portland) has raised nearly $20,000 for his campaign. The campaign is confident the recent outpouring of financial support is an early indicator of things to come.

"I'm as pleased by the number of contributors as I am with the amount contributed" Griffith said. "I'm gratified by how many people are willing to trust my judgment as well as show confidence in me as a candidate."

Griffith's extensive history of civic involvement is highlighted by two terms on the Portland School Board, and a six year stint on the board of directors of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters. Since 2000, Steve has been a volunteer instructor to the Lincoln High School Constitution Team, an experience he counts as one of his most rewarding to date. Griffith holds degrees from Harvard, Oxford, and Stanford Law School and has spent his entire professional career focusing on general civil litigation as an attorney with the Portland law firm of Stoel Rives. He has two children, David and Meg. His wife Christine Dickey is the founder of Rise and Shine Early Childhood Education Center and a tireless worker on homeless issues.

Griffith is the sole Republican running for the House of Representatives seat vacated by Democrat Greg Macpherson, and will be opposed in the General Election by the winner of May's Democratic Primary Election between Linda Brown and Chris Garrett.