Gary Leif
{{Short description|American politician and businessman (1956–2021)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Gary Leif
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| alt =
| state_house = Oregon
| district = 2nd
| term_start = May 9, 2018
| term_end = July 22, 2021
| predecessor = Dallas Heard
| successor = Christine Goodwin
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1956|11|27|mf=yes}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|07|22|1956|11|27|mf=yes}}
| death_place = Roseburg, Oregon, U.S.
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| citizenship =
| nationality =
| party = Republican
| spouse = Carol
| children =
| education =
| occupation =
| signature =
}}
Gary Leif (November 27, 1956 – July 22, 2021) was an American politician and businessman serving as a Republican member of the Oregon House of Representatives. He represented the 2nd district.
Early life and education
Leif was raised in Douglas County, Oregon. He attended Umpqua Community College; the Brooks Institute for Photography; and the University of California, Santa Barbara, but did not earn a degree.{{Cite web|title=Representative Gary Leif Biography|url=https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/leif/Pages/biography.aspx|access-date=July 22, 2021|website=www.oregonlegislature.gov|archive-date=July 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722195639/https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/leif/Pages/biography.aspx|url-status=live}}
Career
For over four decades, Leif owned a photography studio in Roseburg. He was elected to the Douglas County Commission in 2016.{{cite web|url=http://kpic.com/news/local/leif-wins-county-commissioner-race-wont-face-november-run-off-election|title=Leif wins County Commissioner race, won't face November run-off election|publisher=KPIC|date=May 18, 2016|accessdate=May 12, 2018|archive-date=May 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513081703/http://kpic.com/news/local/leif-wins-county-commissioner-race-wont-face-november-run-off-election|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://kpic.com/news/local/commissioner-elect-gary-leif-takes-oath-of-office-begins-term-on-tuesday|title=Commissioner-elect Gary Leif takes oath of office, begins term on Tuesday|publisher=KPIC|date=December 29, 2016|accessdate=May 12, 2018|archive-date=May 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513081340/http://kpic.com/news/local/commissioner-elect-gary-leif-takes-oath-of-office-begins-term-on-tuesday|url-status=live}}
Following the resignation of Representative Dallas Heard who was appointed to take a seat in the Oregon Senate, Leif was appointed to the state House of Representatives on April 30, 2018, and sworn in on May 9, 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.nrtoday.com/news/elections/commissioners-appoint-leif-interim-state-representative/article_71c60a23-3f90-5cee-8936-a479c12518e8.html|title=Commissioners appoint Leif interim state representative|author=Cegavske, Carisa|newspaper=The News-Review|date=April 30, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2018|archive-date=May 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513152028/https://www.nrtoday.com/news/elections/commissioners-appoint-leif-interim-state-representative/article_71c60a23-3f90-5cee-8936-a479c12518e8.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://kqennewsradio.com/2018/05/07/tuesday-leifs-final-day-as-commissioner/|title=Tuesday Leif's Final Day as Commissioner|author=Bailey, Kyle|publisher=KQEN|date=May 7, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2018|archive-date=May 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513081835/http://kqennewsradio.com/2018/05/07/tuesday-leifs-final-day-as-commissioner/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.kezi.com/content/news/Gary-Leif-selected-to-fill-vacant-District-2-seat-in-Oregon-House-481312021.html|title=Gary Leif selected to fill vacant District 2 seat in Oregon House|author=Jones, Tyler|publisher=KEZI|date=April 30, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2018|archive-date=May 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513081231/http://www.kezi.com/content/news/Gary-Leif-selected-to-fill-vacant-District-2-seat-in-Oregon-House-481312021.html|url-status=live}} He had previously announced his bid for the seat in March 2018.{{cite news|url=http://theworldlink.com/news/local/leif-announces-run-for-state-legislator-position/article_a6a99783-f00d-59eb-bcb0-2ff9d81986d6.html|title=Leif announces run for state legislator position|author=Case, Shelby|newspaper=The Umpqua Post|publisher=The World|date=March 3, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2018|archive-date=May 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513081356/http://theworldlink.com/news/local/leif-announces-run-for-state-legislator-position/article_a6a99783-f00d-59eb-bcb0-2ff9d81986d6.html|url-status=live}}
On December 11, 2020, Leif and 11 other state Republican officials signed a letter requesting Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum join Texas and other states contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election in Texas v. Pennsylvania. Rosenblum announced she had filed on behalf of the defense, and against Texas, the day prior.{{Cite web |title=A Dozen Oregon Republican Lawmakers Urged the Attorney General to Support Texas Lawsuit Undermining U.S. Election Results |author=Tess Riski |work=Willamette Week |date=December 13, 2020 |access-date=December 13, 2020 |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2020/12/13/a-dozen-oregon-republican-lawmakers-urged-the-attorney-general-to-support-texas-lawsuit-undermining-u-s-election-results/ |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214022229/https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2020/12/13/a-dozen-oregon-republican-lawmakers-urged-the-attorney-general-to-support-texas-lawsuit-undermining-u-s-election-results/ |url-status=live }}
=Political positions=
Leif was anti-abortion.{{cite web |title=About |publisher=Leif State Representative |url=http://garyleif.com/about/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818104432/http://garyleif.com/about/ |archivedate=August 18, 2018}} He opposed sanctuary cities and favored sending Oregon National Guard troops to the Mexico–United States border.{{Cite web|title=2018 Midterm Election Slate > Josephine County Democrats|url=https://josephinedemocrats.org/2018-midterm-election-slate/|access-date=July 28, 2020|website=Josephine County Democrats|language=en-US|archive-date=July 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729005157/https://josephinedemocrats.org/2018-midterm-election-slate/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=About|url=https://garyleif.com/about/|access-date=July 28, 2020|website=Leif for State Representative|language=en-US|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728231217/https://garyleif.com/about/|url-status=live}} Leif advocated for Eastern Oregon to be incorporated as a part of Idaho.{{Cite web|first=Kelly|last=Mena|title=Greater Idaho: Rural conservatives in Oregon look to join Idaho|url=https://www.kptv.com/news/greater-idaho-rural-conservatives-in-oregon-look-to-join-idaho/article_2546257c-52c8-11ea-8826-bbe23a528b22.html|access-date=July 28, 2020|website=KPTV.com|language=en|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728231213/https://www.kptv.com/news/greater-idaho-rural-conservatives-in-oregon-look-to-join-idaho/article_2546257c-52c8-11ea-8826-bbe23a528b22.html|url-status=live}} Leif joined other Douglas County politicians in opposition to the local group, Citizens Against Tyranny, although his predecessor, Heard, had co-founded the group. Heard said the group's posting of a list of names of whistleblowers who had complained about the failure of local businesses to abide by restrictions that had been imposed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown to help control the COVID-19 pandemic in 2010, should not have been publicized.[https://www.kezi.com/content/news/Sen-Dallas-Heard-speaks-out-about-Citizens-Against-Tyranny--573632381.html ROSEBURG SENATOR SHARES SUPPORT FOR CITIZENS AGAINST TYRANNY, DENOUNCES 'FILTHY TRAITOR' LIST] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624032204/https://www.kezi.com/content/news/Sen-Dallas-Heard-speaks-out-about-Citizens-Against-Tyranny--573632381.html |date=June 24, 2021 }}, KEZI, January 20, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
Death
Leif formerly resided in Winston, Oregon. He died of cancer on July 22, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrtoday.com/news/elections/heard-endorses-leif-in-republican-house-district-primary-while-salter/article_e19ff999-7df7-5b3d-a779-da116951bc6e.html|title=Heard endorses Leif in Republican House District 2 primary, while Salter runs alone on Democratic ticket|author=Cegavske, Carisa|newspaper=The News-Review|date=May 3, 2018|accessdate=May 12, 2018|archive-date=May 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513080940/https://www.nrtoday.com/news/elections/heard-endorses-leif-in-republican-house-district-primary-while-salter/article_e19ff999-7df7-5b3d-a779-da116951bc6e.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Hunt |first1=Chelsea |title=OREGON STATE REPRESENTATIVE GARY LEIF DIES IN ROSEBURG |url=https://www.kdrv.com/content/news/Oregon-state-representative-Gary-Leif-dies-in-Roseburg-574895251.html |website=KDRV |access-date=July 22, 2021 |archive-date=July 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722181213/https://www.kdrv.com/content/news/Oregon-state-representative-Gary-Leif-dies-in-Roseburg-574895251.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.nrtoday.com/obits/gary-leif/article_7027e37a-a919-5ac5-bb1a-f0ccea132459.html|title=Gary Leif|work=The News-Review|date=August 20, 2021|access-date=January 11, 2022|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111220719/https://www.nrtoday.com/obits/gary-leif/article_7027e37a-a919-5ac5-bb1a-f0ccea132459.html|url-status=live}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2018 Oregon State Representative, 2nd district{{cite web
| title = November 6, 2018, General Election Abstract of Votes
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873825
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = April 6, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406153942/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873825
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Gary Leif
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 17,104
| percentage = 66.1}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Megan Salter
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 8,700
| percentage = 33.6}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 69
| percentage = 0.3}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 25,873
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2020 Oregon State Representative, 2nd district{{cite web
| title = November 3, 2020, General Election Abstract of Votes
| url = https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/november-general-2020.pdf
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = November 12, 2022
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221112205917/https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/november-general-2020.pdf
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Gary Leif
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 24,341
| percentage = 71.6}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Charles F Lee
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 9,546
| percentage = 28.1}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 101
| percentage = 0.3}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 33,988
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://garyleif.com Campaign website]
- [https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/leif Legislative website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leif, Gary}}
Category:Businesspeople from Oregon
Category:Republican Party members of the Oregon House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly