Candidates Vie for Mid-Valley Seats in Oregon Legislature

Oregon's Upcoming Primary Election

Oregon's May 19 primary election is just a week away, and the state is preparing for a significant political event. Ballots were mailed to registered voters starting on April 29, with a deadline of 8 p.m. on Election Day for drop box submissions or postmarking by May 19. Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read has urged voters to mail their ballots by May 12 due to recent changes at the U.S. Postal Service.

The Statesman Journal has covered several stories about the upcoming races, including local legislative contests. Democrats are aiming to maintain their supermajority in both legislative chambers. All 60 House members are up for reelection, and 15 of the 30 seats in the Oregon Senate will be open. Here is a guide to Mid-Valley legislative races.

Senate District 6 Race

Three Republicans are competing in the May 19 primary election for Oregon Senate District 6. The district includes Jefferson in Marion County, large parts of Linn County, including Scio, Lebanon, Sweet Home, and large portions of rural Lane County, including Coburg, Creswell, Cottage Grove, Oakridge, and part of Eugene.

The Republican candidates are state Rep. Jami Cate, R-Lebanon; Lane County Planning Commission member Jack Tibbetts; and Springfield school board member Nicole De Graff. Cate emphasized her experience from serving six years in the House, while Tibbetts, a former Democrat, shifted his views during the pandemic. De Graff, who ran unsuccessfully for a House seat in 2020 and 2022, joined the Springfield School Board in 2023.

The only Democrat seeking the nomination is Dietician Sierrah Williams, who works as a dietician for Marion County's WIC program. The current seat holder, Sen. Cedric Hayden, R-Fall Creek, is prohibited from running due to multiple absences during the 2023 legislative session.

Senate District 11 Race

Virginia Stapleton and Teresa Alonso León are vying for the Democratic nomination in Oregon Senate District 11. Stapleton, a former Salem City Councilor, lost a bid for House District 21 in 2024. León, the first Latina immigrant elected to the Legislature in 2016, lost a congressional bid in 2022.

Former state Rep. Tracy Cramer is running unopposed in the Republican primary. Cramer successfully flipped the House District 22 seat in 2022 but narrowly lost her reelection bid in 2024.

Lebanon Mayor Ken Jackola and Sweet Home City Councilor Angelita Sanchez are vying for the Republican nomination in Oregon’s House District 11. Democrat Ivan Maluski is running unopposed for his party's nomination. The district includes Jefferson and Marion in Marion County and Brownsville, Cascadia, Crabtree, Crawfordsville, Foster, Halsey, Harrisburg, Lacomb, Lebanon, Peoria, Santiam Junction, Scio, Shedd, and Waterloo in Linn County.

Jackola, a veteran and business owner, focuses on bridging the gap between state policymakers and rural communities. Sanchez, who owns a trucking business, emphasizes her experience as a legislative assistant.

House District 17 Race

Republicans Ron Nalley, Turner city councilor Beth Jones, and businessman Dan Farrington are seeking the Republican nomination to represent Oregon House District 17. A single Democrat, David Nelson, filed to run in the district.

Nalley, a former legislative committee assistant, focuses on affordability and natural resources. Jones, who ran unsuccessfully for the district seat in 2022, aims to be a fighter for the district. Farrington, a businessman and mentor at the Union Gospel Mission of Salem, advocates for small businesses and addressing homelessness.

Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, has represented the seat since 2023 and is now running for governor of Oregon.

House District 18 Race

Five Republicans are seeking the nomination for Oregon House District 18, which covers portions of Clackamas County and spans eastern Marion County, including the cities of Aurora, Hubbard, Silverton, and Mount Angel. No Democrat filed to run.

The candidates include retired educator Bryan Starr, nursery owner Amanda Staehely, Hubbard city councilor Joseph Steininger, small-business owner and former policy analyst Ben Fisher, and hazlenut farmer Matthew Lawson.

Starr worked in public education for four decades and wishes to continue serving his community. Staehely, a longtime advocate for the agricultural industry, aims to brighten the state's future. Steininger, a certified nursing assistant and volunteer firefighter, sees himself as a fresh face. Fisher, a small business owner, opposes firearm legislation and targets affordability and the economy.

The seat is open after longtime Rep. Rick Lewis, R-Silverton, announced his retirement in February.

House District 20 Race

Longtime state Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, is being challenged by newcomer Ruby Clark in the Democratic primary for Oregon House District 20. Fiscal manager Andrew Fudge and contractor Alexander Martin are seeking the Republican nomination.

Evans, 55, has been a state representative since 2014. Clark, a biologist and current geospatial engineer, said she would bring a "different voice." Fudge, a fiscal manager for the Department of Human Services, hopes the district could become the seat Republicans needed to gain an advantage in the House.

House District 21 Race

Newcomer Art Stevenson challenges Rep. Kevin Mannix for the Republican nomination in Oregon House District 21. Michael Welsh, an environmental, health, and safety manager, is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Mannix won the seat in 2022, flipping the previously Democratic seat to Republican control. He was reelected in 2024. His challenger, Stevenson, is a longtime advocate for blind Oregonians. Stevenson said he decided to jump into the race after the murder of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk. He plans to follow the Oregon Republican Party state platform.