Find out what inspired Bubba King to run for Position 2 of the Yamhill County Commissioners, and what issues matter most to Bubba, in this great article by Gary Allen of the Newberg Graphic!
Bubba King announces campaign for Yamhill County commissioner
The Newberg farmer and Chamber of Commerce president eyes the Position 2 spot currently held by Lindsay Berschauer
By Gary Allen - October 20, 2023
Not to be dissuaded by his unsuccessful bid last spring for election to the Chehalem Park & Recreation District board of directors, David “Bubba” King announced recently he will now seek election to Position 2 on the Yamhill County Board of Directors.
King’s reasoning for running for the county’s highest office is simple: “It’s time to put aside politics and “bring balance back to the board.”
To do that, King must garner sufficient votes in the spring 2024 election to unseat two-term commissioner Lindsay Berschauer, long the darling of the conservative Republican majority in Yamhill County.
Although county commissioner is, technically, a nonpartisan position, the commission has primarily been stocked with highly partisan members for the past two decades, and Berschauer and cohort Mary Starrett have continued that tradition.
Conversely, King stresses that he is running as a nonaffiliated candidate “committed to nonpartisan leadership, building partnerships and representing the county’s neighborly values,” he said in a release.
“I live here, I work here, I’m raising my kids here — and I want my kids to want to live here when they grow up,” he said. “There’s a lot of change on the horizon and I’d like to be at the table for that change — representing all residents of Yamhill County. I’m committed to bringing people together, learning about what’s most important to my constituents, and elevating their priorities and concerns.”
For example, King said he would like to see an economic development plan that is specific to the county’s agricultural economy.
“I would like to balance our travel economy in a way that works for our residents,” he said. “I would like for our county commission to be more responsive to the needs of local small business owners in our community.”
If elected, King said it is imperative the commission work with state and federal government to secure resources that will allow the county to “house the unsheltered, combat addiction and bolster critical county programs. We need to get creative and focus on the community needs before us every day, not just what personally interests us.”
Touting a background suited for office
King, co-owner of Honey Pie Pizza with his wife Sarah before selling the Newberg business earlier this year, now spends his time running his 11-acre raw dairy farm, Godspeed Hollow, and will also soon take over the presidency of the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce as well. That and campaigning for office will keep him busy for the foreseeable future, he said.
With his background as a parent, landowner, Rotarian and neighbor with family members “across the political spectrum,” King says if elected he will concentrate on bringing balance to the county commission, supporting small business and promoting economic development in communities in Yamhill County.
King, 40 and a Sherwood native, has two young children attending school in Newberg who are active in youth sports. They represent the sixth generation, on his wife’s side, to call Newberg home.
His government experience includes serving on the city of Newberg’s System Development Charges Committee, which was responsible for developing recommendations to the City Council. King highlighted that the committee recommended a 75% reduction in SDCs on single-family homes under 1,000 square feet, waiving SDCs entirely for child care facilities and creating “a more business-friendly environment” in the city.
Lessons from an unsuccessful campaign
King said that during his campaign for CPRD board he learned that many people in Newberg have issues with how the county “interacts with recreation.”
“We are fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful areas of our state and our county shouldn’t be focused on limiting recreation opportunities,” he said. “As a county commissioner, I will stay in my lane about this and let CPRD be the experts when it comes to their parks district.”
King is referring to the county’s refusal to approve construction of a bridge over Chehalem Creek at Ewing Young Park. The park district sought approval of the plan in order to access 11 acres of land and allow expansion of its popular trail system and disc golf course.
King also said he learned the importance of time and money in running a strong campaign for office, “which is why I’ve launched my bid for county commissioner well in advance of the filing deadline. I hope to earn considerable support from voters by next spring as they learn who I am and what I’m about.”
What makes a good county commissioner?
King opined that the current tenor of the county commission is away from viewing constituents as neighbors and more toward seeing county residents “identified by party and campaign contributions.”
“Almost all of us want the same things for Yamhill County; We simply have different ideas of how to get there,” he said. “Our county is rich with experience and ideas, but right now there are a lot of people who don’t feel served by the county commission, or who feel that their legitimate county business may be impacted by holding a differing opinion.”
He continued that, in his view, a good commissioner is one who looks for ways to grow and strengthen the local economy, while improving the number of jobs and the ability of local business to expand.
“What I saw during the pandemic was not a willingness to help these local businesses survive unprecedented circumstances,” he said. “Instead, we saw a debate of the pandemic’s merits that wasn’t within the Board of Commissioners’ scope. A good county commissioner understands their ability to help during times of crisis in service to our community and does so readily.”
He touted his experience in agriculture as a plus in advocating for state and federal assistance for the county’s farms so they can prosper in the future.
“Our Board of Commissioners needs to promote the many treasures of our region while caring for the vulnerable aspects of our community, advocating for and delivering on needed improvements,” he said.
Commission failing in its mission
When asked if the county commission was operating well, King was unabashed in his criticism: “It isn’t really. We’ve seen a lot of tax dollars spent without any benefit to average Yamhill County residents. We deserve a county commission who fully understands the scope and limits of their role so we can focus our efforts on services that make an everyday difference to Yamhill County residents. We need elected officials who understand how to stay in their respective lanes and won’t exert influence where it isn’t called for.”
The ability to work with fellow commissioners with vastly different political ideologies is paramount to fulfilling the duties of the commission, King said.
“Even on issues where I am likely not going to see eye-to-eye with my future colleagues on the Board of Commissioners, it’s important to bring balance back in our county so that everyone has their perspective represented at the table,” he said. “We are elected to represent the best interests of our community, not ourselves. … We’ve seen political nepotism that has excluded members of our community from being able to step up to serve on county advisory boards. When I am elected, we will focus on doing what’s right for the community at large, not just what’s right for our supporters.”
Prepared for a fight
Aware of the attacks, cyberbullying and doxxing perpetrated by supporters of the current incumbents on the Board of Commissioners, King said he will forge on, nonetheless.
“I am prepared for and expect some in our community to react to my campaign,” he said. “I won’t be intimidated for seeking leadership in our county, and I am proud of the work I do in our community. I will engage with voters on the issues but will not respond to or participate in personal attacks.”
King has no illusions when it comes to the task before him: earning election in a county that, historically, nearly always votes red.
“Yamhill County has about 75,000 registered voters; the largest group of voters are unaffiliated voters like myself,” he said. “Democrats and Republicans are nearly evenly split in the county. This means nobody is elected to office in Yamhill County without being able to achieve bipartisan support.
“I will not win this race without the support of business-minded Republicans, who vote to elect a business owner who has the experience to develop the post-pandemic success of our local economy. I will not win without the farmers in our county, who vote to elect another farmer with ideas to build a better future for the legacy of their family farms. I will not win this race without Democrats, who want a more reasonable representation from their county commission. I don’t identify as a conservative or a progressive. I think most Yamhill County voters are tired of partisan politics in our Board of Commissioners, and that they will elect me for my lived experience as a business owner and farmer, as well as my approachability and open-mindedness.”
King will hold a campaign kickoff event Nov. 4 at Riverwood Ranch in Dundee.