Alan DeBoernever really planned on becoming an Oregon state senator. But Sen. Alan Bates died suddenly in the summer of 2016, leaving a big hole and a seat to fill in a special election.
DeBoer, the former mayor of Ashland and a wealthy car dealer, won a two-year term in the senate. He opted not to run for a full term this year, expressing some frustrations with people and processes in the Oregon legislature. Consider this visit to The Exchange his exit interview about what he learned... and might wish he hadn't.