Okay, it didn’t happen here in Denver, but one of the most interesting pieces of chatter here at the Democratic National Convention is that after nearly 30 years as a Republican, Julia Brim-Edwards has switched her voter registration and become a Democrat. The defection comes at a time when the Oregon GOP has struggled with money woes and to field credible statewide candidates.
Brim-Edwards, 46, a Southeast Portland resident and former staffer to leading Oregon Republicans including former U.S. Sen. Bob Packwood and current Congressman Greg Walden, has been one of the few high-profile Republican women in Multnomah County.
She has led grassroots efforts to increase K-12 funding, won election to the Portland School Board in 2001 (which she served as co-chair) and most recently has been a leading voice of the business community as Oregon director of government and public affairs for Nike.
Brim-Edwards says the decision to leave the Republican Party was not an easy one. She had not previously made such a decision even to vote in primaries for her husband, Randall Edwards, a Democrat, when he successfully ran for the Legislature and twice for state treasurer.
She says two reasons convinced her to become a Democrat: the candidacy of Sen. Barack Obama and the continued rightward drift of the Republican Party.
“The world has changed, and in Obama, I see somebody who can make this country’s diversity a competitive advantage,” Brim-Edwards says. “The Republican Party I joined was concerned about civil liberties and the economy but they’ve shifted to the right.”
Brim-Edwards actually changed her registration months ago, although nobody has reported the move until now. She says she decided to become a Democrat when Obama visited Oregon in April. “I wanted to be able to vote for the best candidate in this election,” she says.
Although Edwards, who is term-limited out after eight years as treasurer, is often mentioned as a candidate for what will be an open gubernatorial seat in 2010, Brim-Edwards says her decision had nothing to do with his political career.
“Absolutely not,” she says. “Randall has no plans to run for anything.”
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I wouldn’t trust what this former PPS School Board says or does: as a Board member, she was dishonest with the Portland community about school closures and many other issues.
I believe her grandfather Brim was the founder of the Republican Party in Oregon.
Randall Edwards must be running for something big.
Julia Brim-Edwards hasn’t become more Democratic, the Democratic party in Oregon has become more Republican. She fits in perfectly with the other Democratic Portland establishment types: closing and privatizing our public schools, free-market "reforms" of education and government, gentrifying low-income residents out of the city, etc.
My family has known the Brim family for many years and I am not surprised by Julia’s decision to change parties. I am thrilled to have her join the Democratic party and support her decision 100%. Thank God she has seen the light and left those wackos behind!
I’ve known the Brim family for decades too, and her father is spinning in his grave. Of course, she’s never acted like a Republican (socially or economically), but still his disappointment is absolutely palpable to those who know the family. Julia, SHAME!
Julia Brim a Democrat ? ? ?
Does she have a clue that the Democrats are the party claiming (supposedly) to represent the voices of LABOR ? ? ?
Labor will NEVER forget how she in CAVALIER FASHION chose to FIRE 340some Portland Public School Custodians ! ! !
The year was 2002 . . .
Any way the wind blows huh Julia ! ! !
Does Julia have a clue that the Democratic Party represents (supposedly) the voices of Labor ? ? ?
Labor will never forget how she fired the Portland School Custodians back in 2002 ! ! !