Steve Novick
Encyclopedia
Steven Novick is a political activist in Oregon
and a former environmental lawyer. He ran for the Democratic Party
's nomination for the United States Senate
in 2008 for the Senate seat then held by Republican
Gordon Smith, but narrowly lost to Oregon House
speaker Jeff Merkley
, who went on to defeat Smith in the general election. In June 2011, Novick announced that he will run for Portland City Council
in 2012.
, in 1963. His parents, a waitress and a union organizer, moved his family to Cottage Grove, Oregon
, in 1973.
Novick was born with significant physical disabilities, including a missing left hand and missing fibula bones in his legs. As a result he uses a hook prosthesis
and stands approximately 4 in 9 in (1.45 m) tall. His disabilities have prompted him to use the slogan "The Fighter with the Hard Left Hook." His levity about his physical stature has drawn both positive and negative reviews from the press.
In 1977, after low funding caused Novick's junior high school to close, he enrolled at the University of Oregon
. After graduating at age 18, he attended Harvard Law School
, earning a law degree
at age 21.
and former U.S. Department of Justice
litigator. He spent nearly ten years arguing on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), culminating in the Love Canal
case in upstate New York
, on which he served as lead counsel. Returning to Oregon, Novick worked as policy director for Tom Bruggere
's 1996 Senate
bid. He then served as chief of staff to the Democrats in the Oregon State Senate
from 1997 to 1999.
Subsequently, he was Executive Director of the Center for Constructive Citizen Action, which spearheaded the fight against Bill Sizemore
's Measure 91, which would have cut the State budget for schools, health care and public safety by more than 20%.
In 2002, Novick was policy director for Oregon Governor
Ted Kulongoski
in his first, successful campaign for the governorship. From 2004 to 2006, he worked for Citizens for Oregon's Future, an organization dedicated to providing taxpayers useful, reliable information on tax and budget issues. In 2005, Novick developed a "balance the state budget" classroom exercise for high school students, which was used by social studies teachers in Creswell
, Springfield
, Salem
and Portland
.
Beginning in 1999, Novick turned his attention to the Oregon Lottery
's payments to retailers, which he contended were illegally high. He and other education advocates brought a lawsuit challenging the lottery's payment, the lawsuit was successful at the Oregon Court of Appeals. However, the Oregon Supreme Court overturned the decision, declaring the Lottery's payments legal.
race was unusual in a number of respects. Although Democrats held all statewide offices in Oregon and had made gains in the Oregon state house (and nationwide) in the 2006 midterm elections, Republican incumbent Gordon Smith remained relatively popular. Unlike in elections past, there was no clear Democratic challenger; former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber
indicated early on that he was not interested in challenging Smith, and prominent Democratic congressmen Earl Blumenauer
and Peter DeFazio
also declined.
In January 2007, while the campaign was still in its infancy, Novick wrote a lengthy critique of Gordon Smith's record in the Portland Willamette Week
. The article outlined a strategy to beat Smith, who Novick argued was actually more vulnerable than appeared.
On April 18, 2007, Novick formally announced his candidacy for Senate. In his announcement, he stated that he didn't "want to wake up 10 years from now" and realize he had missed his chance. He drew on his own unique persona from the start. "Oregon's working families need someone to fight for them- and a fighter needs a hard left hook." On July 1, 2007, Novick announced that he had raised $190,000 in contributions during the first ten weeks of his campaign and was adding two paid campaign staff members.
By the end of 2007, Federal Election Commission
records showed that Novick had raised a total of $563,000 from 2100 donors, with an average donation of $258. At the time of filing, he had $293,000 on hand.
On January 11, 2008, Novick released his first TV ad, a 30-second biographical spot that parodied
the famous game show
To Tell the Truth
. The ad was produced and created by the firm of Eichenbaum & Associates, which also created the ads used in Wisconsin
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
's three successful statewide campaigns.
Novick ended up with 41 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary
, finishing a close second to Jeff Merkley
. He endorsed Merkley and campaigned for him in the general election.
grab and public-relations
gimmick, sold on false pretenses, which is now producing $4 billion a month's worth of chaos."
He accused Gordon Smith of changing his stance on illegal immigration
to appease conservative voters. Novick stated, "It shows that he’s willing to do what it takes to get reelected. And if doing what it takes means punishing innocent children and turning against his previous so-called moderation on immigration, that’s what he will do."
Novick has advocated for the removal of the cap on Social Security
taxes for income above $100,000. He has stated that borrowing against the Federal retirement program has threatened the program's longevity and solvency.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and a former environmental lawyer. He ran for the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
's nomination for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 2008 for the Senate seat then held by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Gordon Smith, but narrowly lost to Oregon House
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
speaker Jeff Merkley
Jeff Merkley
Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley is the junior United States Senator from Oregon. A member of the Democratic Party, Merkley was a five-term member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly representing House District 47, located in eastern Multnomah County within the Portland city limits...
, who went on to defeat Smith in the general election. In June 2011, Novick announced that he will run for Portland City Council
Government of Portland, Oregon
The Government of Portland, Oregon, a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, is based on a city commission government system. Elected officials include a Mayor, a City Council, and a City Auditor. The mayor and commissioners are responsible legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that...
in 2012.
Early life
Novick was born in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, in 1963. His parents, a waitress and a union organizer, moved his family to Cottage Grove, Oregon
Cottage Grove, Oregon
Cottage Grove is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It received its name from its first postmaster, G. C. Pierce, in September 1861. Pierce's home at the time was in an oak grove. The population was 9,686 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, in 1973.
Novick was born with significant physical disabilities, including a missing left hand and missing fibula bones in his legs. As a result he uses a hook prosthesis
Prosthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
and stands approximately 4 in 9 in (1.45 m) tall. His disabilities have prompted him to use the slogan "The Fighter with the Hard Left Hook." His levity about his physical stature has drawn both positive and negative reviews from the press.
In 1977, after low funding caused Novick's junior high school to close, he enrolled at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. After graduating at age 18, he attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, earning a law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
at age 21.
Career
Novick is an attorneyLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and former U.S. Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
litigator. He spent nearly ten years arguing on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA), culminating in the Love Canal
Love Canal
Love Canal was a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, located in the white collar LaSalle section of the city. It officially covers 36 square blocks in the far southeastern corner of the city, along 99th Street and Read Avenue...
case in upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on which he served as lead counsel. Returning to Oregon, Novick worked as policy director for Tom Bruggere
Tom Bruggere
Tom Bruggere is an entrepreneur and onetime candidate for the U.S. Senate in the U.S. state of Oregon. He founded the company Mentor Graphics and has been involved with several other startup companies....
's 1996 Senate
United States Senate elections, 1996
The 1996 elections to the United States Senate coincided with the 1996 presidential election, in which Democrats Bill Clinton and Al Gore were reelected President and Vice President of the United States, respectively....
bid. He then served as chief of staff to the Democrats in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
from 1997 to 1999.
Subsequently, he was Executive Director of the Center for Constructive Citizen Action, which spearheaded the fight against Bill Sizemore
Bill Sizemore
Bill Sizemore is a political activist in Redmond, Oregon, United States. Sizemore has never held elected office, but has nonetheless been a major political figure in Oregon since the 1990s. He is considered one of the main proponents of the Oregon tax revolt, a movement that seeks to reduce taxes...
's Measure 91, which would have cut the State budget for schools, health care and public safety by more than 20%.
In 2002, Novick was policy director for Oregon Governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
Ted Kulongoski
Ted Kulongoski
Theodore R. "Ted" Kulongoski is an American politician, who served as the 36th Governor of Oregon. A Democrat, he has served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, as the state Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General, and an Associate Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court.-Early...
in his first, successful campaign for the governorship. From 2004 to 2006, he worked for Citizens for Oregon's Future, an organization dedicated to providing taxpayers useful, reliable information on tax and budget issues. In 2005, Novick developed a "balance the state budget" classroom exercise for high school students, which was used by social studies teachers in Creswell
Creswell, Oregon
Creswell is a city in the Willamette Valley of Lane County, Oregon, United States. The population at the 2010 census was 5,031.- Geography :According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 2.42%, is water....
, Springfield
Springfield, Oregon
Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Southern Willamette Valley, it is within the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Separated from Eugene to the west, mainly by Interstate 5, Springfield is the second-most populous city in the metropolitan area...
, Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
and Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
Beginning in 1999, Novick turned his attention to the Oregon Lottery
Oregon Lottery
The Oregon Lottery is run by the government of Oregon. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .- History :The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, approved by voters in the 1984 general election. The Lottery began the next year, eventually offering...
's payments to retailers, which he contended were illegally high. He and other education advocates brought a lawsuit challenging the lottery's payment, the lawsuit was successful at the Oregon Court of Appeals. However, the Oregon Supreme Court overturned the decision, declaring the Lottery's payments legal.
Senate candidacy
The 2008 Oregon SenateUnited States Senate election in Oregon, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Gordon Smith decided to seek re-election. Smith was the only Republican Senator from the west coast and the only Republican holding statewide office in Oregon...
race was unusual in a number of respects. Although Democrats held all statewide offices in Oregon and had made gains in the Oregon state house (and nationwide) in the 2006 midterm elections, Republican incumbent Gordon Smith remained relatively popular. Unlike in elections past, there was no clear Democratic challenger; former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber
John Kitzhaber
John Albert Kitzhaber is the 37th Governor of Oregon. He served as the 35th Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003 and became the first person to be elected to the office three times when he was re-elected to a non-consecutive third term in 2010...
indicated early on that he was not interested in challenging Smith, and prominent Democratic congressmen Earl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River. A native of Portland, he previously spent over 20 years as a public official representing the city.-Early...
and Peter DeFazio
Peter DeFazio
Peter Anthony DeFazio is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1987. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Eugene, Springfield, Roseburg and part of Corvallis. As Oregon's most senior member of Congress, he is the dean of Oregon's House of Representatives delegation...
also declined.
In January 2007, while the campaign was still in its infancy, Novick wrote a lengthy critique of Gordon Smith's record in the Portland Willamette Week
Willamette Week
Willamette Week is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Portland, Oregon, United States. It features reports on local news, politics, sports, business and culture....
. The article outlined a strategy to beat Smith, who Novick argued was actually more vulnerable than appeared.
On April 18, 2007, Novick formally announced his candidacy for Senate. In his announcement, he stated that he didn't "want to wake up 10 years from now" and realize he had missed his chance. He drew on his own unique persona from the start. "Oregon's working families need someone to fight for them- and a fighter needs a hard left hook." On July 1, 2007, Novick announced that he had raised $190,000 in contributions during the first ten weeks of his campaign and was adding two paid campaign staff members.
By the end of 2007, Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
records showed that Novick had raised a total of $563,000 from 2100 donors, with an average donation of $258. At the time of filing, he had $293,000 on hand.
On January 11, 2008, Novick released his first TV ad, a 30-second biographical spot that parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
the famous game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
. The ad was produced and created by the firm of Eichenbaum & Associates, which also created the ads used in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
Russell Dana "Russ" Feingold is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as a Democratic party member of the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011. From 1983 to 1993, Feingold was a Wisconsin State Senator representing the 27th District.He is a recipient of the John F...
's three successful statewide campaigns.
Novick ended up with 41 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary
Oregon Democratic primary, 2008
The 2008 Oregon Democratic primary was a mail-only primary in the U.S. state of Oregon. Ballots were mailed to registered Democratic voters between May 2 and May 6, 2008. To be counted, all ballots had to have been received by county elections offices by 8:00 p.m. PDT on May 20, 2008...
, finishing a close second to Jeff Merkley
Jeff Merkley
Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley is the junior United States Senator from Oregon. A member of the Democratic Party, Merkley was a five-term member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly representing House District 47, located in eastern Multnomah County within the Portland city limits...
. He endorsed Merkley and campaigned for him in the general election.
Political positions
Novick spoke against the Iraq War in 2003, calling it "an oilOil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
grab and public-relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
gimmick, sold on false pretenses, which is now producing $4 billion a month's worth of chaos."
He accused Gordon Smith of changing his stance on illegal immigration
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
to appease conservative voters. Novick stated, "It shows that he’s willing to do what it takes to get reelected. And if doing what it takes means punishing innocent children and turning against his previous so-called moderation on immigration, that’s what he will do."
Novick has advocated for the removal of the cap on Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
taxes for income above $100,000. He has stated that borrowing against the Federal retirement program has threatened the program's longevity and solvency.
External links
- Pyramid Communications, the agency Novick works for
- Steve Novick interview on The Young Turks (talk show)The Young Turks (talk show)The Young Turks is a progressive Internet talk show via live web stream and YouTube, and starting in late 2011, a weeknight news and political commentary program airing on Current TV. It was Sirius Satellite Radio's first original talk programming. The Young Turks claims to be the first Internet...
- Campaign website