Grants Pass, a city better known for small business grit than statewide political launches, is now home to an unusual gubernatorial bid. Cal Kishawi, a Grants Pass resident who says he plans to run for Oregon governor on a Democratic ticket, sat down with the Grants Pass Tribune to outline a campaign built around a blunt premise, Oregon is fixable, but only if people stop treating politics like tribal warfare and start working the problems in front of them.
Kishawi who chose the Democratic Lane because, in his view, independents have little path to statewide office in Oregon. He says his campaign slogan will be “Stand United,” a phrase he repeats as both a political pitch and a cultural diagnosis, arguing that the state’s divisions have hardened over the past two decades, accelerating with smartphones and then the isolation of the COVID era. His central promise is less about ideology and more about tone, he wants to rebuild what he calls basic humanity, and return public life to something less corrosive than constant outrage.
On education, Kishawi’s priorities focus on programs he believes schools have lost over time. He says Oregon should restore and expand hands-on classes and career pathways, naming woodshop, automotive, and other shop-style courses, along with gardening and expanded arts offerings. He argues that early exposure matters, starting as young as junior high, and says schools should do more to give students options beyond screens and tablets. He also said he wants public education to prioritize core academics, such as math, history, grammar, and practical life skills, and he expressed opposition to schools emphasizing student identity issues in classroom instruction, framing that as a distraction from fundamentals.
Infrastructure is another core theme. Kishawi criticizes what he sees as high-cost projects in Portland that pull focus from neglected statewide maintenance. His view is that Oregon should slow down on expensive new construction and first repair what already exists, bridges, overpasses, and major corridors, including the interstate system and coastal routes. He offered everyday examples to make his point, including intersections he believes need additional safety controls, and long rural stretches that could benefit from improved lighting and traffic management. The message is consistent, fix the basics first, then build.
Homelessness, he says, should be approached with faster, more practical use of existing space. Kishawi repeatedly returned to the idea of converting vacant buildings into shelters and service hubs, particularly locations away from schools and residential neighborhoods. He argues that communities should prioritize ready-made structures with bathrooms and capacity over starting new construction, and he criticized what he described as missed opportunities to convert large unused commercial spaces. His broader point is that taxpayers should get visible results, quickly, without paying twice for land and construction when buildings already sit empty.
Asked about corruption and cronyism, Kishawi said he wants tougher consequences for clear abuses of public money and public trust. In the interview, he discussed nepotism-style hiring, arguing that if a role is funded by taxpayers it must have real work, real oversight, and clear standards. He said that if violations rise to the level of criminal conduct, he would support prosecution, while also emphasizing alternatives to incarceration for certain nonviolent white-collar offenses, such as structured restitution and community service, paired with firm penalties meant to deter repeat behavior.
Kishawi also floated a plan that would break with Oregon tradition, saying he would not move into Salem if elected, and he suggested repurposing the governor’s mansion to generate revenue, including an idea to operate it as a short-term rental with proceeds directed toward women’s shelters and family support. He argues the state should reduce ceremonial spending and redirect it into services.
On public safety and corrections, he talked about expanding mental health capacity, describing a system where people cycle through homelessness, addiction, and jail partly because treatment options are full or unavailable. He proposed using low-security inmates for workforce training ahead of fire season, and pushing second-chance hiring by requiring large employers to hire a minimum number of people with records, arguing that stable work is one of the fastest ways to cut recidivism. He also discussed pardons for older drug cases, particularly marijuana-era convictions, paired with strict conditions, though he acknowledged that many such changes would require careful legal coordination.
Unlike polished career politicians, Kishawi repeatedly says he is not a speechmaker. He describes himself as a “doer” whose strength is fieldwork and problem-solving, even if he sometimes struggles for the right words. He says his approach is to admit what he does not know, learn it, then act.
His personal background is rooted in logistics and moving work. He said he built a delivery and moving career over more than two decades, starting young in Southern California, managing operations, building a company, and overseeing teams. He also said he has hired people others avoid, including individuals experiencing homelessness and people with felony records, describing his hiring as a second-chance approach with clear boundaries and accountability.
Kishawi estimates he will need roughly $50,000 to run a credible campaign and says he is seeking sponsors, volunteers, and donations to take his message statewide. He says he wants to hold listening-style meetings in major cities, including Southern Oregon hubs, the coast, and the Portland metro area, to hear what each region needs most and to build a platform that reflects local priorities rather than one-size-fits-all politics.
For now, his pitch is simple, Oregon does not need more shouting, it needs more fixing, and he wants voters to judge him by outcomes, not slogans.