Progressive challengers pull ahead in two Oregon legislative races

Two Democratic candidates backed by labor unions and the party’s left flank have pulled ahead in tight legislative elections in Washington County as local election officials continue processing and counting ballots.

As of 5 a.m. Thursday, former elementary school principal Myrna Muñoz, the sister of current Rep. Lesly Muñoz, D-Woodburn, was leading Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, in the 15th Senate District. And in the open 27th House District, Beaverton School Board member Tammy Carpenter, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, pulled ahead of Beaverton City Councilor Ashley Hartmeier-Prigg.

Sollman and Hartmeier-Prigg were leading in initial results the Secretary of State’s office published Tuesday evening, but those results generally only include ballots that arrived before the May 19 primary deadline.

Election officials have to verify signatures on ballot envelopes before sending them for counting and Oregon allows the counting of ballots cast and postmarked before Election Day that arrive up to a week after, both factors in final results sometimes differing from election night trends. This year’s primary election results won’t be official until June 25, when Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read certifies the vote. 

Muñoz leads Sollman by 155 votes as of Thursday morning. Earlier on Wednesday, after The Oregonian/OregonLive declared that labor unions siding with three far-left candidates — Muñoz, Carpenter and middle school teacher John “Waz” Wasielewski in a Lake Oswego House District — appeared to have lost, Muñoz vowed to wait for further results.

“The voters deserve a full and accurate count, and we are confident in the strength of the movement we built together. No matter the final outcome, this campaign has already shown the power of ordinary people organizing for change,” Muñoz said in a statement. 

Carpenter leads Hartmeier-Prigg by 149 votes as of Thursday morning. Washington County, where both districts are located, plans to release updated results by 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, with additional drops scheduled for May 29 and June 12.

Other competitive primary races include candidates vying to replace lawmakers who aren’t running for reelection because they are running for a different position, retiring or stepping down entirely. 

Some of Oregon’s other closest primary races were in these legislative districts

31st House District Democrats: This district sits in the northwest part of Oregon and includes Banks, Scappoose, St. Helens and Vernonia. The latest unofficial  results have Manning computer programmer Tom Forest leading Rebecca Schaleger, a farmer and lawyer from Gaston, by just 42 votes. The winner will face off against incumbent Rep. Darcey Edwards, R-Banks, in November. 

40th House District Republicans: Realtor Adam Baker leads independent contractor Sue Leslie by 114 votes. The winner will face Democrat Michael Sugar in November. This seat is currently held by Rep. Annessa Hartman, D-Gladstone. Hartman originally stepped down from her seat to run for Clackamas County Commissioner, but then suspended her campaign following a cancer diagnosis. 

3rd Senate District Democrats: Just 209 votes separate the top two vote-getters in the four-way Democratic primary to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Jeff Golden in one of Oregon’s few competitive Senate seats. Ashland Democrat Denise Krause leads Medford attorney Tonia Moro, who received Golden’s endorsement. 

6th Senate District Republicans: Cottage Grove farmer Jack Tibbetts grew his lead Thuesday to 722 votes ahead of Rep. Jami Cate, R-Lebanon. The two are vying to replace Sen. Cedric Hayden, R-Springfield. Hayden is one of three lawmakers barred from running for reelection this year after accumulating more than 10 unexcused absences during the 2023 legislative session protesting bills related to gun control, abortion and gender-affirming care. 

Candidates running to replace lawmakers leaving their seats

Sen. Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook, and Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, were also banned from running this year after participating in the 2023 quorum-denying walkout. 

Clatsop County Commissioner Courtney Bangs is winning the Republican primary for Weber’s seat in Oregon’s 16th Senate District. She’ll face former Democratic state lawmaker Rachel Armitage in November. 

Meanwhile, former Rep. Tracy Cramer of Gervais won the Republican nomination for Thatcher’s seat representing Oregon’s 11th Senate District. Cramer will face former Salem City Councilor Virginia Stapleton in November.

A handful of seats in less competitive races also opened up as sitting lawmakers chose to chase higher offices.

Because Cate chose to jump to a Senate race, Lebanon Mayor Ken Jackola is winning the Republican primary for her current seat representing Oregon’s 11th House District, beating Sweet Home city councilor Angelita Sanchez. 

Business development manager Dan Farrington is on track to win a three-way primary for the 17th House District in the Santiam Canyon that Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, left to run for governor. .

With Rep. Jeff Helfrich, R-Hood River, running to replace Sen. Christine Drazan in the Oregon Senate as she runs for governor, Wasco County Commissioner and Republican Scott Hege won the primary for Helfrich’s former spot representing Oregon’s 52nd House District, which spans the Columbia River Gorge. Hege will compete in November against Hank Sanders, a former journalist and legislative aide for his mother Sen. Lisa Reynolds. The 52nd District is one of a handful of competitive House districts.

Retirements also left openings in Oregon’s 7th, 9th and 18th House Districts. In the Lane County-based 7th District, Springfield City Councilor Kori Rodley won about 60% of the vote in a three-way race to replace retiring Rep. John Lively, D-Springfield. 

Legislative aide Claire Lynn, endorsed by retiring Rep. Boomer Wright, R-Reedsport in the coastal 9th District, beat out Coos Bay City Councilor Troy Cribbins.

And in the 18th District, which covers parts of Marion and Clackamas counties, Republican farmer Amanda Staehely won with nearly 42% of the vote against four other candidates vying to succeed retiring Rep. Rick Lewis, R-Silverton.