# Rick Dancer > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rick_Dancer > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rick_Dancer.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Dancer > Source revision: 1356047446 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American journalist and politician (born 1959)}} {{Infobox person | name = Rick Dancer | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|6|30}} | birth_place = [Hillsboro, Oregon](/source/Hillsboro%2C_Oregon), USA | death_date = | death_place = | education = [Pacific University](/source/Pacific_University) | occupation = [Journalist](/source/Journalist), politician | other_names = | disappeared_status = | title = | family = | spouse = Kathy | children = 2 | relatives = | networth = | credits = [KEZI](/source/KEZI) anchor | agent = | website = http://rickdancer.com/ }} '''Rick Dancer''' (born June 29, 1959) is an American journalist and politician in the state of [Montana](/source/Montana).{{Cite web |last=Dancer |first=Rick |date=2026-01-03 |title=Let Them Say What They Want |url=https://www.rickdancer.com/post/let-them-say-what-they-want |access-date=2026-01-04 |website=Rickdancer |language=en}} Born in the city of [Hillsboro](/source/Hillsboro%2C_Oregon), he was a longtime anchor for [KEZI](/source/KEZI) television in [Eugene](/source/Eugene%2C_Oregon). Among his other activities as anchor, he covered the [Thurston High School shooting](/source/Thurston_High_School_shooting). He later left broadcasting to run as a Republican for [Oregon Secretary of State](/source/Oregon_Secretary_of_State), losing in the general election to Democrat [Kate Brown](/source/Kate_Brown) in 2008. ==Early life== Rick Dancer was born on June 29, 1959, to Roy and Betty Dancer in [Hillsboro, Oregon](/source/Hillsboro%2C_Oregon).{{cite news|title=Kroger defeats Macpherson for attorney general|last=Green |first=Ashbel S.|date=May 21, 2008|work=[The Oregonian](/source/The_Oregonian)|page=A7}}{{cite news|url=http://www.forestgrovenewstimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=121495910186634600|title=Politician, Pacific alum to march in Hillsboro's holiday parade Friday|last=E. Harger III|first=Stover|date=July 2, 2008|newspaper=[The Forest Grove News-Times](/source/News-Times_(Forest_Grove))|accessdate=2009-09-07|archive-date=2012-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318103008/http://www.forestgrovenewstimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=121495910186634600|url-status=live}} He grew up there with three sisters and lived in Hillsboro for his first 24 years, graduating from [Hillsboro High School](/source/Hillsboro_High_School_(Oregon)) in 1977.{{cite news|url=http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20080605/NEWS/419055542/1055|title=Dancing away from politics|last=Sowell|first=John|date=June 5, 2008|work=[The News-Review](/source/The_News-Review)|accessdate=2009-09-07|archive-date=2011-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727212758/http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20080605/NEWS/419055542/1055|url-status=live}} In high school he worked for the local Copeland Lumber store before attending college at [Pacific University](/source/Pacific_University) in neighboring [Forest Grove](/source/Forest_Grove%2C_Oregon). Dancer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Pacific in 1983. In Hillsboro, he married Kathy at the United Methodist Church that same year, and they had two sons, Jess and Jake.{{cite news|url=http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Record?q=recTitle%3A2008+general+And+recTitle%3Apamphlet&sortBy=recCreatedOn-|title=Secretary of State: Rick Dancer|work=Online Voters' Guides for November 4, 2008 General Election|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=2009-09-07|archive-date=2020-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904120016/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Record?q=recTitle%3A2008+general+And+recTitle%3Apamphlet&sortBy=recCreatedOn-|url-status=live}} ==Television== After college Dancer moved to the southern [Oregon Coast](/source/Oregon_Coast) in 1985 and was a reporter in [Coquille](/source/Coquille%2C_Oregon) and [Coos Bay](/source/Coos_Bay%2C_Oregon) at [KCBY](/source/KVAL-TV).{{cite news|url=http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Record?q=recTitle:2008+primary&sortBy=recCreatedOn-|title=Secretary of State: Rick Dancer|work=Voters' Guides for May 20, 2008 Primary Election|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State|accessdate=2009-09-07|archive-date=2020-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904114246/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Record?q=recTitle:2008+primary&sortBy=recCreatedOn-|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thevoterguide.org/a-bendbulletin08/race-detail.do?id=153879163|title=My Ballot: Secretary of State|work=[The Bulletin](/source/The_Bulletin_(Bend))|accessdate=2009-09-07}} Dancer then moved to [Eugene, Oregon](/source/Eugene%2C_Oregon), in 1987 and worked as a television reporter for [KVAL-TV](/source/KVAL-TV). After a few years he moved to [KEZI](/source/KEZI) in 1989, the ABC affiliate in Eugene and continued as a reporter until becoming an anchor a year later.{{cite news|title=Election Roundup; TV anchorman seeks secretary of state's office|last=Mapes |first=Jeff |date=February 26, 2008|work=The Oregonian|page=B3}} In 1998, he was one of the first reporters to arrive at [Thurston High School](/source/Thurston_High_School) in [Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Oregon) after the shooting spree by [Kip Kinkel](/source/Kip_Kinkel).{{cite news|title=Experiences of tragedies bringing inspiration to many|last=Colby|first=Richard|date=April 25, 2002|work=The Oregonian|page=C2}}{{cite news|title=West Zoner: Religion Briefs|date=April 18, 2002|work=The Oregonian|page=12}} While covering the story he started to cry while on camera, which angered him, but led to additional interviews with students as they felt he cared about the students. In February 2008, he announced he was leaving KEZI in order to run for public office. In 2020 and 2021 his company Rick Dancer Media Service LLC took out $19,896 and $18,166 in PPP loans that were later forgiven.{{cite web |title=Rick Dancer Media Service LLC – PPP Loan |url=https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/rick-dancer-media-service-llc-8544848403 |website=ProPublica |access-date=2025-03-28}}{{cite web |title=Rick Dancer Media Service LLC – PPP Loan (Second Draw) |url=https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/rick-dancer-media-service-llc-6834577408 |website=ProPublica |access-date=2025-03-28}} ==Political career== The day after leaving television, he official started his campaign for [Oregon Secretary of State](/source/Oregon_Secretary_of_State) as a Republican. He won the primary unopposed and then faced Democratic state senator [Kate Brown](/source/Kate_Brown) in the fall election. His campaign focused on advocating for converting the Secretary of State position into a non-partisan position, and also supported [Ballot Measure 65](/source/Oregon_Ballot_Measure_65_(2008)) that would have created an open primary system.{{cite news|title=Oregon GOP's hopes ride on two political rookies|last=Walsh|first=Edward|author2=Janie Har |date=October 30, 2008|work=The Oregonian|page=B1}} He ran on the premise of being an outsider having never been in office before, while Brown touted her experience in public office.{{cite news|title=Have you heard? 3 are vying for top elections job|last=Har|first=Janie|date=October 8, 2008 |work=The Oregonian|page=D1}} Dancer raised around $365,000 in his campaign through late October, compared to around $750,000 for Brown.{{cite news|title=Race pits timber, union cash|last=Hogan|first=Dave|date=October 24, 2008|work=The Oregonian|page=A5}} The biggest of his contributions came from timber companies. Dancer pulled within six percentage points in polling in late October. Brown won the November general election defeating Dancer and Pacific Green Party candidate Seth Woolley.{{cite news|title=Democrats sweep to capture statewide jobs|last=Walsh|first=Edward|date=November 5, 2008|work=The Oregonian|page=A20}} Dancer garnered 785,740 votes compared to 873,968 for Brown.{{cite web|url=http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6873598|title=Secretary of State|work=November 4, 2008, General Election Abstracts of Votes|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division|accessdate=2009-09-07|archive-date=2020-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904091529/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6873598|url-status=live}} Dancer was mentioned as a possible candidate to run for the Republican nomination for [Governor of Oregon](/source/Governor_of_Oregon) in 2010.{{cite news|title=Pixelworks co-founder enters governor race|last=Mapes|first=Jeff|date=February 19, 2009|work=The Oregonian}} Dancer is part of a group of filmmakers who began production in 2010 on a documentary film about former U.S. Senator [Mark O. Hatfield](/source/Mark_O._Hatfield).The Hatfield Project [http://www.hatfieldfilm.com/ www.HatfieldFilm.com.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028090220/http://www.hatfieldfilm.com/ |date=2010-10-28 }}Mapes, Jeff.{{cite web |title=Mark Hatfield documentary in the works |publisher=www.OregonLive.com |date=June 14, 2010 |url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2010/06/mark_hatfield_documentary_in_t.html |accessdate=July 12, 2010 |archive-date=June 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616125140/http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2010/06/mark_hatfield_documentary_in_t.html |url-status=live }} ==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change | title = 2008 [Oregon Secretary of State](/source/Oregon_Secretary_of_State) election{{cite web | title = Official Results | November 4, 2008 | url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873598 | website = Oregon Secretary of State | access-date = October 30, 2023 | archive-date = September 10, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230910004214/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873598 | url-status = live }}}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = [Kate Brown](/source/Kate_Brown) | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 873,968 | percentage = 51.0}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Rick Dancer | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 785,740 | percentage = 45.8}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Seth Alan Woolley | party = Pacific Green Party | votes = 51,271 | percentage = 3.0}} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 2,740 | percentage = 0.2}} {{Election box total no change | votes = 1,713,719 | percentage = 100%}} {{Election box end}} ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== *[http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2008/02/26/who-is-rick-dancer/ Who is Rick Dancer?] – ''[Willamette Week](/source/Willamette_Week)'' *[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jYMVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DusDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6830,4240664&dq=rick-dancer+oregon Christian journalists fear public may behold a bias] – ''[The Register-Guard](/source/The_Register-Guard)'' *[http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Feb29/0,4670,AnchorCandidate,00.html This Just In: I'm Running for Office] – FOX News *[http://www.katu.com/news/local/16153317.html Some question TV anchor's candidacy announcement on air] – [KATU](/source/KATU) *[http://www.katu.com/news/local/34218239.html Nevada millionaire a major donor to Dancer campaign] – [KATU](/source/KATU) {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Dancer, Rick}} Category:1959 births Category:American television news anchors Category:Politicians from Eugene, Oregon Category:Politicians from Hillsboro, Oregon Category:Living people Category:Pacific University alumni Category:Oregon Republicans Category:Hillsboro High School (Oregon) alumni Category:Television personalities from Oregon --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rick Dancer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Dancer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Dancer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.