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Justin Filip is the Green Party candidate for Oregon's 4th Congressional District.
Robert Scherle??
OPB asked candidates for Congressional races the same questions on key issues in the state. Answers are provided verbatim but responses were limited to 150 words. Dexter was the only candidate for Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District who provided a response. Read incumbent Democratic Rep. Val Hoyle and Republican candidate Monique DeSpain’s responses to the same question.
To start, please give us your name and basic biographical details, including your current position or job, any elected offices you have held and any key facts you would like voters to know about you.
Justin Filip (Eugene, OR)
Program Coordinator at the University of Oregon and graduate of the University of Oregon.
This is my first campaign. I served on the State Coordinating Committee of the Pacific Green Party from 2021-2024, and currently serve as the Party Secretary. I also co-founded the University of Oregon Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine.
Why should you be elected to represent this district?
I should be elected because the two major parties are corrupted by money and donor influence. They are literally owned and operated by billionaires and corporations. Their interests are different from the people’s interests. Costs keep rising while wages stagnate. Roughly half of all Oregonians struggle to pay their bills each month while corporations rake in record profits. We need a representative who will work for the people, and give a voice to those whose interests aren’t represented in Congress.
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What is the most pressing challenge facing your district? What is your proposed solution to that problem? Please be specific.
I think we have two major challenges in our district — the effects of climate change and the housing crisis. Wildfires have become a common event in our district in recent years, and sea levels are rising. We need to listen to the experts who have studied the science and take strong action to protect our environment. We also need real affordable housing, not giveaways to real estate developers. And we need to support our unhoused neighbors by decriminalizing homelessness, and working on real solutions that address the root causes of homelessness. The solutions cannot be summed up in 150 words, but we need a combination of proactive and reactive planning.
Who won the 2020 election?
Joe Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election.
Will you commit to certify the 2024 election results, regardless of the victor?
Of course.
Would you support a federal ban on abortion? Why or why not?
No. I believe in women’s reproductive rights and I would support codifying it in law.
Related: Issues important to Oregon voters
Intel has close connections with the Israeli government and the nation itself and is one of the largest employers in the state. What is your stance on the ongoing war in Gaza and Intel’s connections to the region?
Israel is committing a genocide with the full backing of the U.S. Government and the incumbent from our district, Val Hoyle. The Lancet estimates 200,000 Palestinians have been killed so far. I support the Boycott Divest and Sanction movement and I would support a boycott of any company supporting the Israeli apartheid regime. As reported by Democracy Now on August 27th, “the Israeli military has revealed that the United States has sent over 50,000 tons of arms and military equipment to Israel since October 7.” We must put an arms embargo in place until Israel ends the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. We are breaking international law and our own laws by arming a country committing war crimes.
Immigration is one of the most prominent issues in the Republican party’s national platform. How has immigration impacted your constituents directly or indirectly? Please be specific. Would you support the bipartisan immigration bill negotiated earlier this year if it returns? Why or why not?
I support the right to seek asylum and a path to citizenship for our immigrant neighbors. I would not support any bill that would infringe on that. The Latino community in particular is an asset to our economy by filling jobs, paying taxes, and enriching our culture. And it should be noted that the U.S. created many of the conditions in Latin America that lead people to want to leave. We need to stop meddling in regime change in foreign governments that destabilizes these countries.
Related: Listen to 'OPB Politics Now'
The U.S. House of Representatives is fiercely divided and even if Democrats retake the House, it will likely be extremely close in terms of the majority. What is your track record of working with the other party — or people within your own party with whom you disagree — to pass meaningful legislation?
As a Green, I would be the first Green elected to Congress. The 4th Congressional District has an opportunity to make history by sending me to Washington DC to represent them. I intend to do that with the upmost integrity while prioritizing people, the planet, and peace. I think the presence of a Green in Congress would change the dynamics on what we think is possible. In Oregon, the Pacific Green Party has been a key player in promoting RCV, campaign finance reform, and the People’s Rebate.