Oregon's third major party candidate running for governor doesn't have the name recognition of his competitors, can't match their campaign bank accounts and isn't supported by a raft of staffers while out on the election trail.
Success on Nov. 6 isn't going to be defined by the number of votes the Independent candidate receives, either.
But like many candidates with infinitesimal odds of winning who come from parties other than Democrat and Republican, Patrick Starnes has one issue he wants Oregonians to hear about — campaign finance reform.
"This whole thing about the billionaire money coming in from Phil Knight and Bloomberg has got to stop," Starnes said. "What happened to regular folks donating 20 bucks? That's what I'm interested in."
Getting that message out has led the cabinet maker and house restorer from Brownsville around the state, driving his wife's Honda until the engine failed and one of his work trucks after that.
In late August, he was one of many politicians at the Oregon State Fair to chat with voters. Unlike the campaign trips for the other major gubernatorial candidates — Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, and Democratic Gov. Kate Brown — the first thing Starnes had to do when approaching a stranger was introduce himself.
He usually asked where in Oregon the person lives or where their family came from, before handing out a flier with his personal cell phone and email address.
On the back was his pitch: "There's a new game in town! And it's NOT RIGGED. Help Get Big Money Out of Politics!"
He thinks it's a message that resonates with voters. The dozen or so people he talked with at the fair glance at his card before putting it aside.
Some use it as a fan, as Starnes' wife Mary does, cotton candy in her other hand.
Near the sheep, Starnes goes through his routine with Connie B. Miller of Turner. She seems impressed, calling him a kind and hard-working man.
She won't say who she's voting for.
"Bless that man, he's got a long road to hoe," she said.
Short on funds and voters
The Independent Party of Oregon doesn't like to focus on statewide races.
The party doesn't have the financial backing to compete. So the party's strategy, said Secretary Sal Peralta, is to focus on local races — city and county positions — and build a legitimate third option for Oregon voters from the ground up.
But on the last day he could, Starnes filed to run for governor, and he earned the support of the party over two other candidates who did not agree with much of the party's platform.
More than anything, Peralta said Starnes presents an opportunity for more people to hear about the Independent Party and its biggest issue of campaign finance reform.
Starnes will join Buehler and Brown at the first gubernatorial debate Oct. 2 hosted by Children First for Oregon, KOIN and Pamplin Media Group in Portland.
He has yet to be invited to the other two scheduled debates on Oct. 4 and Oct. 9.
“I think it’s healthy for voters to hear about their options," Peralta said. "The two largest parties no longer represent the majority opinion in this country."
This race presents Starnes with particular challenges facing off against an incumbent governor and a two-term state representative, as well as structural shortfalls within the Independent Party.
As far as campaign cash, Starnes is nowhere close. As of Friday, Brown had a little more than $4.5 million remaining in her campaign fund, according to Secretary of State records. Buehler had about $740,000, but that doesn't include a recent $1 million contribution from Nike co-founder Phil Knight, as reported by Willamette Week.
Starnes had $226, with an outstanding loan to himself of $2,500.
"He can barely pay for gas," said Jim Moore, political science professor at Pacific University in Forest Grove.
"It keeps the cell phone on," Starnes said.
Also, according to figures from August, only about 120,000 people are registered as Independent in the state.
That's far more than other alternative parties in Oregon, but slim compared to the 950,000 registered Democrats and 700,000 registered Republicans. Non-affiliated voters make up the third-largest group, with 860,000.
Using the platform for ideas
Political analysts in the state agree Starnes has no chance of winning the governorship, but they are also doubtful that his presence will force the others to take a stand on campaign finance reform.
Bill Lunch, a political science professor emeritus at Oregon State University, said Starnes' diminutive back account will limit his reach, which is critical to playing "spoiler" in an election.
In theory, if a minor candidate can make his or her issue important enough to draw some significant percentage of voters away from one candidate, that candidate may have to shift their position to reclaim some of the vote.
While a spoiler candidate doesn't receive enough attention to win, they can play a central role in deciding who loses.
But Lunch said that it's more likely a right-wing, minor party candidate takes that role this election, considering Buehler's more moderate positions.
“It's unlikely (Starnes) will have a major impact," Lunch said.
According to Starnes, that opinion is just a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Politicos and the media doubt he has any chance to win, so they don't invite him to debates, mention him in stories or put him in polls, he said. This reduces his profile even more, so that it's even less likely he is included in the next round of gubernatorial rumination.
Meanwhile, Starnes said, the country is clearly frustrated with the two-party system and voters are looking for something different.
"If you keep talking about Pepsi and Coke, then that's all you're going to get. And voters are clamoring for more," he said. "The two party myth is over in Oregon."
Contact the reporter at cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6864, or follow him on Twitter at @CDRadnovich