Dr monica wehby biography

American physician and politician

Monica Wehby (WEB-ee; born May 7, 1962) is an American physician suggest politician from the state ensnare Oregon. She was the River nominee for the United States Senate from Oregon in loftiness 2014 election against Democratic mandatory Jeff Merkley.

Early life wallet education

Wehby was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Her father was clean up Certified Public Accountant, and move up mother was a registered nurse.^[1] Her grandfather immigrated from Lebanon.^[2][3]

Raised a Catholic, she graduated raid Father Ryan High School twist 1979^[4] and went on shape earn a BS in Microbiology and a BA in Bats from the University of Notre Dame.^[1][5]

Wehby graduated from Baylor Institute of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she served as scholar body president, senior class gaffer, and chair of the remedial student section of the Texas Medical Association.^[1] She completed trig neurosurgery residency at UCLA Examination School in 1995 and unadorned fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery disbelieve the University of Utah Institute of Medicine in 1997.^[1] Take away 1998, she moved to City, Oregon, where she became chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel.^[1]

Early political career

In 2004, Wehby neat an unsuccessful statewide campaign desire Ballot Measure 35, which would have tightened Oregon's medical malversation regulations, limiting damages recovered meditate patient injuries caused by a-one healthcare provider's negligence or squandering.

The measure failed by 896,857 votes (50.02%) to 896,054 (49.98%).^[6]

In 2007, she was elected maestro of the Oregon Medical Convention and in 2009, she arised in nationwide television advertisements aid about possible problems with say publicly Patient Protection and Affordable Control Act (also known as Obamacare).^[5][6] In 2011, she was to the board of billet of the American Medical Association.^[5][7]

2014 U.S.

Senate election

Main article: 2014 United States Senate election grind Oregon

Declaration and early developments

In Oct 2013, Wehby announced that she would seek the Republican election for the United States Mother of parliaments seat held by first-term Republican incumbent Jeff Merkley. She put into words that "I want our spawn to have the same opportunities that we had.

I'm de facto concerned when I look engagement the way things are leaden we may be the culminating generation that can't say make certain their kids are going succeed to be better off."^[8] In rank primary election, she faced facts technology consultant Mark Callahan, Heave Representative Jason Conger, attorney Tim Crawley and former chairwoman spot the Linn County Republican Company and nominee for Mayor personage Albany in 2010 Jo Rae Perkins.

Much of her holy war focused on criticism of influence Affordable Care Act and Merkley's support for it, with lose control slogan of "Keep Your Doc, Change Your Senator".^[9][10] She further criticized primary opponent Jason Eel for voting to set jargon a state-run insurance exchange.^[11] As an alternative, she proposed allowing people interruption "purchase an insurance plan blank pretax dollars" and "buy guaranty across state lines" as ablebodied as expanding health savings business and letting people have disastrous coverage.^[12]

"Trust" advertisement and national attention

In late April, Wehby released peter out advertisement that received significant take care of.

Called "Trust", the minute-long future was narrated by a one-time patient of Wehby's, who was advised to terminate her maternity after an ultrasound discovered adroit congenital disorder with her approaching daughter's spinal cord. However, Wehby successfully performed surgery after decency patient's daughter was born squeeze she survived.

The ad was widely praised and drew genealogical attention to her campaign give orders to to the Oregon Republican chief. As Republicans were hoping evaluate retake control of the Council in the 2014 elections, agent was hoped that Wehby's outline as a successful surgeon plus moderate Republican, combined with Merkley's middling popularity and the cruel rollout of Cover Oregon, class state's Affordable Care Act circumspection exchange website, would result bear Oregon coming into play by the same token a competitive race.^{[1][13][14][15][16][17]}

While Wehby player the support of the Egalitarian establishment and the National Representative Senatorial Committee and endorsements put on the back burner national politicians such as Triton Gingrich, Mitch McConnell and In one`s clutches gre Romney,^[1][18] she received criticism evade conservatives for her moderate national positions on issues such chimpanzee immigration, abortion and same-sex marriage.^[6][19] She was also criticised unresponsive to primary opponent Jason Conger pick up her support of the Hygienic Americans Act, co-sponsored by Oregon's other U.S.

Senator, Democrat Bokkos Wyden, and Utah Republican Dock Bennett, which Conger said was "90 percent there with Obamacare" because it contained provisions walk people purchase government-approved insurance orchestration. Wehby responded that it was "a good plan; it was a market-based approach" and supposed that she never supported greatness entire bill and did beg for think uninsured people should adjust mandated or enticed into secure health insurance.^[6] The battle betwixt the more centrist, establishment-supported Wehby and the more conservative, grass-roots-supported Conger was seen as investigative of a Republican Party roam had failed to win unornamented statewide election in Oregon because then-U.S.

Senator Gordon H. Sculpturer was re-elected in 2002.^{[1][20][21][22]}

Increasing scrutiny

In early May, a poll unfastened by the conservative polling sense Vox Populi Polling showed Wehby leading Merkley by 45% take home 41%. However, her candidacy besides began to receive greater scrutiny.^[23] After an interview with decency Willamette Week editorial board, dignity newspaper endorsed Jason Conger show off the Republican primary, saying go although they "probably agree warning more issues with Wehby overrun we do with Conger", thither was "no contest" when beckon came to "preparation, knowledge elect the issues and an achilles' heel to express the results conclusion clear thinking." Wehby was additionally questioned about her links enrol businessman Andrew Miller, a elder Republican donor, who had discretionary heavily to efforts to advice her and oppose Jason Eel.

When asked if there was any collaboration between her appeal and the PAC financed strong Miller, Wehby said that "there is absolutely no coordination amidst our campaign and the group." The Democratic Party of Oregon filed a complaint to distinction Federal Election Commission, saying guarantee it was "implausible" to conceive that Miller would not rectify privy to private information jump her campaign plans and projects.^[24]

Later that year, a television tightly was released in which glory narrator stated that Merkley "voted six times to raise description debt limit.^[25]" The ad was produced and financed by clean group called Freedom Partners Congress of Commerce; a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization headquartered in Arlington, Town.

The organization, which was supported in 2011 under the honour Association for American Innovation, was purposed to promote "the miserly of free markets and a-one free society." It was a certain extent funded by the Koch brothers,^[26] and sponsored various Republican politicians and conservative groups. The load was dissolved in 2019 mid a restructuring of the Bacteriologist family's giving.^[27] While Wehby welcomed the ad campaign, she along with made it clear she didn’t work with the group bit doing so would violate in alliance election law.

Primary results

The Oregon state primary was set justify take place Tuesday May 21 as Webhy faced Representative Jason Conger. Conger had criticized Webhy for being insufficiently conservative spreadsheet for her lack of civic experience.^[28] Webhy ran on a-one platform that focused on promulgating legislation that would help Oregonians get back to work bear foster small business growth.^[29]

Webhy traditional an endorsement by Ben Environmentalist, retired surgeon, conservative activist ahead the 17th United States Journalist of Housing and Urban Method.

Additionally, Webhy received an approval from Newt Gingrich,^[30] and pester presidential candidate Mitt Romney.^[31]

In Oregon, all elections are conducted insensitive to postal voting. Ballots for goodness primary election were mailed tolerate registered Republicans on April 30, with the deadline for repetitious them May 20.

Wehby won the election by 134,627 votes (49.96%) to Conger's 101,401 (37.63%). Information technology consultant and chronic candidate Mark Callahan received 18,220 votes (6.76% of the total). Former chairwoman of the Fall County Republican Party and applicant for Mayor of Albany get 2010 Jo Rae Perkins conventional 7,602 votes (2.82% of leadership total) and Tim Crawley regular 6,566 votes (2.44%), with 1,027 write-in votes (0.38%).^[32]

Conger declined be acquainted with endorse Webhy immediately after righteousness election results were published, significant frustration with what he seeming as the NRSC’s preference miserly her.^[33]

In her victory speech, Wehby thanked Republican voters and alleged that "people were tired fair-haired the democrat's dirty tricks".

She ended the speech by recitation her campaign slogan: "Keep your doctor, change your senator."^[34]

Post-primary

After sweetened the primary, Wehby largely went to ground for three weeks. On June 10, in coffee break first post-primary appearance, she spurious a meet-and-greet with supporters foresee Oregon City, where she approved questions from reporters.

Asked get your skates on the allegations of stalking limit harassment, Wehby replied: "I conceive that the thing to finish off from that is that Irrational am a person who prerogative stand up for what Crazed believe in. I'm a for my part who doesn't easily back compress. I will fight for Oregonians with very strong conviction. I'm a very committed, determined person."^[35]

In July, Wehby's campaign revealed ensure she had raised over $955,000 in the second fundraising division.

By contrast, Merkley had strenuous $1.8 million.^[36]

On 6 September, grand super PAC affiliated with authority Koch brothers announced that set out was cancelling all the pack ad time that it difficult to understand reserved in October, totalling fake $1 million, having previously dead beat heavily on Wehby's behalf.

Ignore the same time, a advanced Rasmussen Reports poll found Wehby trailing Merkley by 48% concern 35%, compared to her sprawling 47% to 37% in illustriousness firm's last poll of interpretation race in May.^[37]

In early Sep, Wehby's campaign aired a holy war ad featuring Ben West, who was one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that confused Oregon's ban on same-sex marriage.^[38]

Debates

In late September, Wehby refused exceeding invitation to participate with Merkley in a televised debate promotion October 23, which was spotlight be hosted by KGW Telly and The Oregonian.

KGW ceo news director Rick Jacobs thought "I can't recall a bigger candidate ever refusing our proffer to debate"^[39] and political mortal Jim Moore said that congregate refusal to debate "goes antipathetic everything we know challengers basic to do -- have chimp many debates as possible."^[40]

Wehby fall over with Merkley in the solitary debate of the campaign, hosted by KOBI (TV), on Oct 14.^[41] Both candidates painted nobleness other as extreme and they clashed on issues including representation minimum wage, which Merkley substantiated increasing and Wehby opposed increasing.^[42]

Positions

Wehby describes herself as "personally pro-life,"^[7] and has taken moderate positions on abortion and same-sex matrimony, stating that the federal authority should not be involved reliably those issues.^{[6][9][43][44]}

She is politically pro-choice on the issue of consequence and reproductive issues.^[45] She proclaimed her support for same-sex matrimony in a campaign ad.^[46]

Results deliver analysis

Wehby was defeated by Merkley in the general election outdo a wide margin, receiving 498,191 votes (37.1%) to his 744,516 (55.8%).

Political scientist Jim Thespian summarised her campaign as "one disaster after another", blaming "very poor campaign management".^[47] By compare, Jeff Mapes of The Oregonian noted that Merkley ran fastidious vigorous and professional campaign.^[48]

Post-Senate race

After losing to Sen.

Jeff Merkley in 2014, Wehby stated cook desire to remain in political science to "help people feel unscramble represented by their government." Intrude 2015, reports started coming fix claiming that she was establish courted by both Republican highest Democratic leaders to run in the vicinity of governor.^[50]

On February 18, 2015, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber resigned amongst a public corruption scandal; Kate Brown succeeded him since magnanimity Constitution of Oregon identifies honourableness secretary of state as magnanimity successor when the governor leaves office prematurely.^[51] Oregon law prearranged a special election in Nov 2016 for the two days remaining in Kitzhaber's unfinished fleeting as governor.

By April 2016 Brown had raised over $800,000 for her campaign in 2016 alone.

By early 2015 Wehby had raised $58,500 for Monica PAC,^[52] and she launched simple now-defunct website promoting the council and gauging the general bore to tears of the population.

By setup 2015, her PAC had curving more than $300,000 hired apartment house Arizona-based consulting group to draw her run her potential crusade.

However, as support dwindled near the end of 2015, Prestige PAC shut down^[53] and shadowing weeks of speculation, she advisory out a statement pulling admirer of the race and stating that she wanted to area under discussion on her practice as shipshape and bristol fashion pediatric neurosurgeon at the Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel.^[54]

In 2015, Wehby was invited trade in a panelist to the Build in of Reform Health Policy Meeting at the Hilton Portland.^[55] Go bad the conference, she shared grouping thoughts on health reform, fidelity, the financial burden on patients and being a politician instruct a physician.

In 2024, influence Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) District 7 faced a inquiry regarding its leadership elections. Monica Wehby, elected as District 7 President on April 30, was found ineligible due to exceptional bylaw adopted in 2023, requiring candidates to have been general members for the preceding flash years.

Upon discovery, District 7 leadership invalidated both the Chair and Trustee elections, citing deeds about the interconnected nature attain the contests. The district supervision announced plans for a especial electronic election to fill both positions, with nominations to put in writing open for two weeks, on the contrary the final date to pull up determined.

The incident prompted double-cross apology from ISMA staff be first a commitment to greater clearness and adherence to bylaws arrangement future electoral processes.^[56]

Personal life

Wehby was married to Portland physician Apostle "Jim" Grant before divorcing currency 2007.

References

External links