Kathleen Stuart Weighs in on Controversial Recall Campaign Against Rep. Paul Holvey

Amidst the confusion of a controversial recall campaign, Eugene Weekly speaks with Kathleen Stuart, founder, and CEO of political campaign communications firm Stuart Collective, to offer her perspective and shed light on the unfolding situation,

Well-versed in the world of political campaigns, Kathleen breaks down the challenges the United Food and Commercial Workers Union 555, or UFCW 555, face as they attempt to remove long-serving lawmaker Rep. Paul Holvey from his position. Drawing on years of experience and a track record of understanding the nuances of political dynamics, she highlights the factors that can complicate efforts such as these.

"The rules are really important. It gives people a place to come and say, ‘Is this correct?’ I think it creates a sense of structure that supports governance and democracy," Kathleen shared, emphasizing the importance of upholding democratic principles.

The petition for Holvey’s removal alleges that he opposed critical legislation supporting COVID frontline workers. Despite the UFCW 555's substantial financial investment in signature collection, the recall campaign’s true motivations and funding have come under scrutiny when more than half of the signatures were deemed invalid by the Oregon Secretary of State's office.

Weighing in on the likelihood of the recall’s success, Kathleen captures the sentiments of Holvey supporters, stating, "Paul Holvey — he’s a veteran lawmaker. He’s been around a long time, people in Eugene know him. They love him. He took a lead role in passing minimum wage, passing paid sick leave, and supporting one of the strongest pay equity laws in the entire nation. He’s a champion. I think that voters know that. And I think that that makes gathering signatures real tough."

To get an in-depth view of the situation, read the full story on Eugene Weekly.