FreedomWorks Launches Lights on Oregon Campaign
August 12, 2008— With consumer anxiety over rising energy prices at a high, on August 12, Oregon FreedomWorks launched its LightsonOregon campaign. In addition to educating consumers on Oregon’s energy crisis, the focus of the campaign is creating a widespread call upon policymakers to support sensible energy policies, particularly those that will increase energy supplies and bring large capital investments and jobs to the state.
The kick-off press conference was held at a Portland gas station to effectively illustrate how radical environmentalist opposition to energy development has detrimentally affected Oregonians, their pocketbooks, businesses, and way of life. Oregon FreedomWorks Director Russ Walker was joined by consumers, small business owners, and farmers who discussed how spiraling energy costs have affected them personally.
As part of the campaign launch, Russ Walker distributed supportive comments made by economist Bill Connerly as well as the results of a new poll taken that shows that Oregonians overwhelmingly support policies that will lead to the great availability of affordable and reliable energy resources. Russ also unveiled www.LightsonOregon.com, the campaign’s official online portal.
The press conference was covered by journalists from the Portland Tribune and the Oregonian. NBC affiliate KGW aired footage of the event during its evening telecast. Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio covered the event as well and interviewed Russ for statewide markets. Portland’s major news and talk radio station KXL also covered the event. Press releases for the event were highlighted by Oregon Catalyst, the Oregon Business Blog, Dow Jones’ MarketWatch, CNBC, Morningstar, Forbes, and Yahoo News. Immediately following the press conference, Russ appeared as a guest on the nationally syndicated Lars Larson Show. He also appeared on KPAM radio’s Victoria Taft Show and conducted an interview for KEX.
Later that day, Oregon FreedomWorks hosted a luncheon with a dozen bloggers to discuss the campaign. At the luncheon, Russ and campaign staff provided these activists with an overview of the poll results and talked through the goals of the campaign. Within hours, blog entries highlighting LightsonOregon appeared on Oregon Elephant and Loaded Orygun, a high-trafficked liberal blog.
