Ben Westlund - R.I.P.

Sad to hear of Ben Westlund's passing on Sunday. Oregon's state treasurer had battled lung cancer, beginning in 2003 and returning with a fatal vengeance in October of last year.

He was a Bend-area political chameleon, changing affiliations to remain in a position of influence. To some, that makes him a political opportunist. To others, it showed how a man can change for the better.

He was first elected to the state Senate as a Republican opposed to "special rights" for gays and lesbians. This was when Republicans held majorities in the Legislature, but faced "Dr. No" John Kitzhaber in the governor's chair who would veto the screwy bills Republicans concocted.

In 2004, Westlund won re-election, but the state Senate was now controlled by the Democrats. Also that year, Oregon voters rejected marriage for homosexuals.

Eyeing statewide elective office, Westlund stunned the Republicans by championing civil unions for homosexuals. Afterall, the anti-gay marriage folks insisted during the campaign that they weren't against civil unions, but they lied.

Naturally, Westlund's stance enraged his Republican base. Westlund had no shot of ever getting elected again as a Republican, particularly from conservative Central Oregon.

So, he switched to become an independent and ran for governor in 2006. Once he realized he had no shot at winning, he dropped out of the race and endorsed the incumbent Ted Kulongoski, a Democrat.

This placed him in the Democratic camp, which gained control of both chambers of the Legislature for the first time since 1989. So, Westlund morphed into a Democrat.

Because of his health battles, Westlund knew how fortunate he was to have health insurance and pushed for insurance coverage to those far less fortunate.

In 2008, riding the Obama wave, Westlund was elected state treasurer as a Democrat.

Westlund was a child of affluence who embraced the Republican claim to upper class entitlement. Once he saw how hollow that was, he changed his views.

He developed a big heart as the air was being sucked out of him through lung cancer.

He cared about Oregon and what was best for the state.

Republicans, who usually hate Democrats and hold particular disdain for a turncoat, had nice things to say about Westlund after he died.

From The Oregonian:

"I will say one thing about Ben Westlund -- he tried to make things better," said Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day. "And I have to say, at the end of the day, that he succeeded. He left things better than he found them."

Good for Ben Westlund. He showed how compromise and tolerance do more for the public good than obstinance and intolerance.

Here's hoping that Republicans and Democrats in Salem learn something from Westlund's legacy.