Brad Avakian


Candidate for: Labor Commissioner of Oregon
Election Date: November 4, 2008

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The Candidate

Raised in Washington County, Brad is a lifelong Oregonian. He graduated from Oregon State University in 1984 with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Lewis and Clark Law School in 1990 with a Juris Doctor. Brad worked his way through law school by helping create the YMCA’s Juvenile Restitution Program, which mentored troubled youth and put them to work to repay the victims of their crimes.

For the next seventeen years, Brad dedicated his life to representing working families. As a civil rights attorney, Brad fought for fair wages, good working conditions and the right to organize and bargain. He also co-founded the Oregon League of Conservation Voters’ Washington County Chapter and was appointed by Governor Barbara Roberts to lead the State Board of Psychologist Examiners. Dedicated to a diverse work force, Brad serves as Honorary Chair of the Oregon Business Leadership Network - a coalition of employers committed to hiring the disabled.

During his time in the Oregon Legislature, Brad continued making working families his top priority. The Oregon AFL-CIO named him a "Working Families Champion" and gave him a Gold Medal for Leadership.

As Chair of the Senate Environment and Natural resources Committee, Brad established himself as one of the state’s top environmental advocates. In 2007, the Oregon League of Conservation Voters named Brad the legislature’s "Consensus Builder of the Year," in part due to his passage of Oregon’s Bottle Bill expansion and the Oregon Renewable Energy Act. In 2008, Brad led a diverse coalition of cities, industry, tribes, environmental groups and farmers to design and pass the Agricultural and Community Water Act. This effort will initiate water supply projects statewide to bring desperately needed water to Oregon’s farms and rural communities.

Brad Avakian has a plan to get Oregon back on track. First and foremost, Brad plans to work with other state executives to develop the nation's premier renewable energy workforce to provide home-grown, sustainable energy to break the grip of foreign oil. He plans to do so by bringing together emerging industries and training centers to provide workers the skills to quickly gain long term employment. Avakian wants to make our government more efficient by streamlining the way Oregon's training centers are funded, increase apprenticeship opportunities for skilled trades like plumbing, electrical, and construction jobs that provide high paying careers, and restoring agricultural and technical education in our public schools.

The Race

In March of 2008, when former Labor Commissioner Dan Gardner resigned the post, Governor Kulongoski announced Avakian as his choice for the appointment. In his acceptance speech the Commissioner said he is excited about the opportunity to "Take the fight for working families to the next level by focusing on apprenticeship training and workforce development. This will allow the Bureau to support both industries’ efforts to create more well paying local jobs and our school system’s ability to teach Oregonians the skills needed to fill those jobs."

Brad is now running for election to the post. He's opposed by two people: perpetual candidate Pavel Goberman, who says he has awarded himself a doctorate in physical education, and Mark Welyczko of Aloha, who ran unsuccessfully against Rep. David Wu in the Democratic primary this spring, but who failed to get a statement into the Voters' Pamphlet this time around.

Avakian says polling revealed about 7 percent of voters statewide knew his name. While he is actively campaigning, Avakian needs to increase his name ID to ensure a win.

Why CNM Supports Brad Avakian

Oregon is a hotbed of Democratic effort from its two highly respected senators to its congresspersons and state executives. Brad Avakian is near the top of that list. His dedication to public service as well as her history of accomplishments in the State House office makes him an ideal candidate for Oregon and for future higher office. With the Senate election of Jeff Merkeley and a state trending strongly for Obama, now is not the time for Oregon Democrats to rest on laurels; instead voters should actively support Democratic candidates who show promise and enough fight to be a champion for the people. Brad Avakian is undeniably such a candidate.

It's an easy choice to endorse longtime legislator Brad Avakian for the job in which he is technically an incumbent, following his appointment in March by Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

Still, the race has more of an air of suspense than might be expected, simply because Avakian isn't particularly well-known in Oregon and has never been on a statewide ballot. His campaign is running advertisements in an effort to avoid any ugly surprises. There's no reason to hesitate: Oregonians should elect Avakian to a full term as labor commissioner.

Support Brad Avakian for Labor Commissioner of Oregon

CNM is proud to endorse Brad Avakian for Labor Commissioner of Oregon. We encourage you to give him your support as a member of Campaign for a National Majority.