Springston drops out of Wasco Commissioner race due to 'intimidation'

Michael Springston, TDHS Class of 2004, and recent Commissioner Candidate.

By Tom Peterson 

Michael Springston said that intimidation caused him to withdraw his candidacy for Wasco County Commissioner on Tuesday, March 8.

And it was not for fear of the Democratic Candidate Phil Brady who is vying for Position 3.

Rather, it was members of his own Party, the Wasco County Republicans, that led him to withdraw, he said.

The seat is advertised as non-partisan, meaning it is free from party affiliation or bias. 

That is clearly not the case said Springston, a 36-year-old real estate agent with two kids, on Thursday, March 10.

Both he and current City of The Dalles Councilor Rod Runyon had filed their candidacy for the office. 

Both are registered Republicans.

And both spoke at the Wasco County Republican Central Committee meeting in The Dalles on Monday, March 7.

At that meeting, “I was told by the party to walk away and leave,” Springston said, noting the party would do nothing financially to support his candidacy.

Springston also called himself a “real veteran and Runyon a “wanna-be” in front of a crowd of about 50 at the meeting, according to participants.

“Everybody knows Rod spent a lifetime improving veterans’ lives,” said Wasco County Republican Central Committee Chair Betsy Hege. “It was a very difficult thing to hear. It made everybody collectively sad.” 

“No I did not ask him not to run,” Hege said. “From my experience, it is better to have three candidates run in a primary because it is hard to get to a 50 percent to win it outright. The likelihood is that two candidates carry forward in the general election and more people will vote on that office,” she said, noting fewer people vote in primaries.

Springston maintains participants at the function did ask him directly not to run.

And there is one distinct advantage to having a single candidate.

Hege said by laws of the Central Comittee prohibit funding candidates if there are two or more in a primary. 

However, now that Springston has dropped out, the Central Committee can now finance Runyon’s campaign if they choose to do so. 

“I was stonewalled every step of the way…,” Springston said, stating Runyon was clearly the Wasco Republican Party choice while he was told to drop out or it would cost them the race.

“They set me up at this meeting,” he said, stating he was not told that they wanted him to speak.

“They put me up on the stage, and I was not prepared.”

Springston was given a chance at the end of the meeting to sit in a chair facing the group and explain why he wanted to hold the office, Hege said, noting she did not know exactly who invited Springston to the meeting.

Springston said it was a blindside. 

“This is a non-partisan position,” he said. “We should work for the community, not the party. I was told to ask for permission from the Party to run. Nobody should care about splitting votes. They should care about what the community says not politics. But clearly its political. 
“I vote for common sense,” Springston continued. “They want to keep old boy Rob Runyon in there.”

Hege said she tried to help Springston.

“I approached him (Springston)  after the meeting and talked about being involved with the GOP and the Central Committee and how to be a good candidate,” Hege said. ”And he was not interested in that at that point.” 

CCCNews left a message with Runyon requesting comment early this afternoon, March 10. 

“I want to be a champion for our community, not our party,” Springston said noting he was a Republican-leaning top center who voted on candidates based on ideas.

“It’s time for the younger generation to step up,” he said. “The generation ahead of us is in power, and they are going to make decisions that last the next 30 years. They don’t have kids in schools or kids who will use a new Kramer Sports  Park if the new hospital is built.”

“They make all the decisions and the rest of the people in the county are getting the raw end of the deal.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, all they want to do is protect their own interest, and they will push anybody out with new good fresh ideas.”

So Why Not Run?

Two reasons, he said. “It was clear I would have had to raise my own money to fight and win,” he said. “People said it will hurt your career as a real estate agent. That was super concerning for me.”