This year’s primary election on May 19, 2026 will see voters choose Democratic and Republican nominees for governor, state legislative seats, and Congress. Ballots will also include several Multnomah County judicial races, a few Metro Council seats, a labor commissioner, and local revenue measures. Helpful hint: If your ballot is missing any of the above races, it’s because Oregon has closed primaries—meaning you can only vote on a Democrat or Republican nominee if you’re registered with one of those political parties. But hey, don’t worry! The prevailing candidates will come back around in November.
Already feeling exhausted? Need help deciding how to vote? Enter the Mercury Election Strike Force! We grilled the candidates and brushed up on their policy positions all IN SERVICE TO YOU! The Mercury Editorial Board discussed, then discussed some more, debated, cried at times (not really, but we came close), and almost got into a few fist fights while deciding which candidates to endorse. Read the full descriptions to see where we landed, or check out our handy cheat sheet if you’re short on time. The Mercury does not endorse in uncontested races. Sometimes we don’t even endorse in contested races. Deal with it.
The Mercury Election Strike Force is News Editor Courtney Vaughn, Reporters Taylor Griggs and Jeremiah Hayden, Managing Editor Katherine Chew Hamilton, and Editor-in-Chief Wm. Steven Humphrey.
Oregon Governor
No endorsement
The Mercury is forgoing an endorsement in the governor’s race until the general election. Realistically, this will come down to which Republican the incumbent governor Tina Kotek will face in November. None of Kotek’s Democratic challengers mounted a serious campaign, despite Kotek’s low polling among voters. In case you haven’t noticed, Kotek has soured many Oregonians with her constant need to court conservative interests, her efforts to torpedo Preschool For All, her narrow vision of what “prosperity” means for a state steeped in arts and culture, and her hyper focus on Portland. Kotek should take note, or risk losing the governor’s seat to a transphobic dud or an anti-abortion, climate change denier who thinks the answer to homelessness is more cops.
Oregon State Senate
District 17: Lisa Reynolds
Senator Reynolds is a pediatrician and politician who’s sponsored legislation focused on maternal and child health, gun violence prevention, immigrant rights and privacy, as well as bills aimed at preventing large real estate investment firms from snatching up single family homes. She took heat earlier this year for voting against a bill aimed at keeping needle exchange programs away from schools, but later explained the bill was narrowly written with a 2,000-foot buffer zone that would’ve prevented nearly any harm reduction program from being operable in the city.
Reynolds faces a challenger, Democrat Autumn Sharp. Largely fueled by disapproval of Senator Reynolds’ vote on that Senate bill, Sharp says she’s eager to bring a “pragmatic approach” to issues like public safety and livability. That sounds nice on paper, but light on specifics. It’s hard to make heads or tails of what Sharp’s leadership vision is or how she’d tackle serious issues.
Reynolds, on the other hand, has been a reliable vote for common sense legislation and uses her legislative power to try to make things easier for families with young children.
Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House District 38: John “Waz” Wasielewski
John Wasielewski’s challenge to Rep. Daniel Nguyen for Oregon’s 38th District has been seen as representative of a larger progressive push to oust more moderate Democratic incumbents. That broader effort may have its merits, but we have specific reasons for supporting Wasielewski to represent the district. Wasielewski, who refers to himself as “Waz,” is new to politics, currently working as a middle school teacher and track coach. We believe he’ll be a strong asset in Salem for important conversations about the state’s education system, and also appreciate his focus on affordability, mental health treatment, and climate. While Nguyen offered largely uncritical support for a large public investment in the Moda Center, Wasielewski appears far more skeptical, saying his “number one priority is improving the lives of working families, which requires us to be careful stewards of public dollars.” We think Wasielewski’s perspective lines up more evenly with what Oregonians want at this moment. Though Nguyen has admirable business acumen and has put up a strong fight against federal overreach, we were very concerned that he voted “no” on House Bill 4134, which increased the state’s hospitality tax by 1.25 percent to fund wildlife conservation efforts. Nguyen told the Mercury he thought the state could’ve found “a better way to find the funding.” The wildlife funding bill, which passed the legislature this year, is a thoughtful policy developed over many years, with support from people across the political spectrum. It’s concerning that Nguyen couldn’t overcome his blindspots to support it. For that reason and more, we support Waz.
Oregon House District 41: Mark Gamba
The current representative in the 41st District, Mark Gamba, deserves another term. Gamba has remained a strong advocate on climate and transportation issues, and cosponsored a bill in the last session allowing individuals to sue if law enforcement enters their property without a warrant. He also serves on the housing committee, where he’s cosponsored multiple pieces of legislation to protect renters. His challenger, Priyesh Krishnan, didn’t get so far as making a campaign website. We’re going Gamba on this one.
Oregon House District 43: Tawna Sanchez
Tawna Sanchez has served Oregon’s 43rd District since 2017, and while we don’t agree with her on everything, we think she should be re-elected for another term. Sanchez, who is one of the first people of Native American descent to serve on the Oregon Legislature, has served as a much-needed advocate for Oregon’s tribal populations during her time in office, helping improve communication between tribes and state agencies, among other efforts. Her work in addiction treatment and mental health is also notable—Sanchez was a key champion of the effort to fund the 988 mental health crisis hotline. We wish she would take a more critical stance on the legislature’s Moda Center funding push, among other things. But we support her bid for reelection, especially since her primary challenger, Cye Sterling, does not appear to have put a lot of effort into his attempt to defeat her.
Labor Commissioner
Christina Stephenson
Christina Stephenson has served as the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) commissioner since 2023, coming from a background as an attorney representing employees in civil rights cases in the workplace. Stephenson came on as BOLI commissioner at a tough time. The bureau’s many woes were outlined in a bruising state audit last fall, which essentially said internal issues at BOLI have led to worse outcomes for Oregon workers. These problems are not new, and Stephenson has been open about the need to address them—in fact, she requested the audit shortly after being elected to lead the agency. She has demonstrated a commitment and shared a plan to make the changes suggested in the audit, and we’d like to see her get the chance to do so. But Stephenson’s opponent, Chris Lynch, deserves a shout-out too. Lynch has worked on the ground as a compliance officer at BOLI, and knows the agency’s problems well. He is a strong candidate who would likely be a good leader at the bureau. But the Secretary of State’s audit cited turnover in leadership as a key reason for BOLI’s instability, and we think electing a new commissioner—regardless of how qualified they are—could be detrimental to the agency’s progress. Stephenson deserves another term.
Metro Council
Metro Council President: Juan Carlos González
Juan Carlos González has been a strong member of Metro Council since he was elected to represent District 4 in 2018. It’s clear González, who was born and raised in Forest Grove and Cornelius, is a strong advocate for the western Portland suburbs he represents. But he has also proven to be well-known and respected across the region for his work on the Council, particularly on housing and transportation. Metro Council is perhaps the least-understood local government body, partially due to the wonky topics the body is meant to address. This is unfortunate, because the decisions it makes are consequential for Portland-area residents. If anyone can change that, it’s González, with his approachable style and deep familiarity of the policy work that Metro Council does. We will note González has the tendency to be a cheerleader, which can be a double-edged sword when it comes to some of the more questionable projects the Metro Council has to sign off on. (Ahem… the Rose Quarter freeway expansion.) But in his responses to the Mercury, González noted that he will work to “keep ODOT’s management and spending in check,” hoping to prioritize “building what we have money for.” Seems like common sense, but that approach has not always been utilized at the state transportation department. At any rate, González is the natural choice to lead the body as president, and we enthusiastically endorse his candidacy.
Metro Council District 1: Ashton Simpson
Ashton Simpson should be reelected for another term representing Metro Council’s District 1, which includes the easternmost part of Metro’s jurisdiction. Simpson, who has represented District 1 since 2023, is a dedicated steward for East Multnomah County, which historically has been considered last in major local planning decisions. Prior to taking his position on the Council, Simpson served as the executive director of Oregon Walks. He took that experience with him to Metro, where he’s been a dedicated advocate for transportation safety in his district—particularly those walking, biking, and taking transit. This is in comparison to his opponent, Noah Ernst, who comes to the candidacy with a list of grievances that do not always seem catered to the job he’s applying for. We agree with Ernst, who ran for City Council in 2024, when he says Metro Council should do more to engage residents, especially those in District 1. But Simpson is already doing the work to connect with constituents on the issues that matter to them, and Ernst’s approach to community engagement seems primarily based in grievance and cynicism. Simpson is willing to admit Metro’s shortcomings (he told the Mercury Metro’s 2020 “Get Moving” measure failed “because the public didn’t trust that the money would be spent well, and we haven’t fully grappled with that”) and is working to change them. Vote him in for another term.
Metro Council District 4: Alex Phan
Metro does a lot of quiet work and rarely gets the attention as other local government entities (ahem, we love you, Portland). But Metro focuses on and has the money for a lot of issues close to the hearts of people living in all three Metro counties. Alex Phan’s experience in affordable housing development is badly needed in the region, and we think his service on the Supportive Housing Services (SHS) committee will be invaluable. In the endorsement process, a lot of candidates talk at length about the issues they perceive from the outside—like whether SHS is getting the results people want, or whether the tax rates are too high for middle-income earners. It takes a lot more to dig in and understand the machinations to critique it with nuance. Phan said Metro was right to bring frontline providers into the SHS committee, and that Metro should show “a willingness to adjust strategies and funding when outcomes are not being achieved to better serve people experiencing homelessness.” Phan’s opponent, Miles Palacios, focused a bit more on the business line about taxes and empty shelter beds, and the need for addiction services. That’s all a part of it for some people, but homelessness is caused by and exacerbated by a lack of affordable housing, and Phan has the right experience to address the gap.
Phan also had this to say about Metro focusing less on transportation mega projects and more on basic bus and train service: “At a time when the state is experiencing a major funding gap for transportation and the federal government is not providing assistance we need, Metro must put focus back on basics: safe streets for families, well-lit crosswalks for community members of all ages, protected bus stops away from traffic, and reliable transportation that gets people where they need to go quickly and affordably.” We agree.
Multnomah County Circuit Court
Multnomah County Circuit Court, Position 2: Diane Sykes
There are multiple highly qualified candidates in the race to fill the seat left by the retirement of Nan Waller, but Diane Sykes stands out for a few reasons. Sykes currently owns her own law firm. Prior to that, she worked for the Oregon Department of Justice, where she developed and led the department’s first civil rights division. Sykes has also worked as a public defender, representing some of the most vulnerable communities in need of legal representation, including migrant and seasonal farm workers. She grew up in a bilingual household, and told the Mercury it impacted her decisions and legal path. When asked about her approach to sentencing—arguably the most impactful decision a judge can make with the limited discretion they have—Sykes alluded to “evidence-based approaches that promote rehabilitation and reduce recidivism” and said she’d ensure victims are heard and “accountability is clear.” While Sykes is our top choice, the Mercury team is also incredibly impressed by Chris Behre, a public defender who helped develop the Strategic Treatment and Engagement Program (STEP) aimed at rehabilitation and intervention for first time serious offenders. The courts would be well served by either of these candidates.
Multnomah County Circuit Court, Position 5: Joanna Perini-Abbott
Joanna Perini-Abbott’s legal experience runs the gamut, from representing defendants and victims, to large businesses. She outlined her philosophy for the Mercury, and generally gave us the impression that she’ll be a fair judge if elected. Perini-Abbott is in favor of drug treatment courts, saying “when issues like mental health and substance abuse disorder overlap with criminal conduct, simply putting someone in jail or prison is not going to fix anything.” Perini-Abbott’s husband is an officer with the Portland Police Bureau, and she said they often share their perspectives on the legal system. Here’s hoping those conversations elucidate more compassion and a less punitive approach, particularly for homeless Portlanders facing ever worsening conditions—”jail or prison is not going to fix anything,” after all. But Perini-Abbott appears strong on issues of privacy, freedom of expression, and a general sense of fairness.
Multnomah County Circuit Court, Position 12: Peter Klym
This race was far and away the most contentious decision the Mercury made this election season. The incumbent is Judge Adrian Brown, who’s held this position for five years, and is being challenged by defense lawyer Peter Klym who hopped into the race literally 30 minutes before the election deadline. Why so contentious? Brown has found herself on the receiving end of a mostly unfair smear campaign from Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez, whose obsession with her is, frankly, kind of weird. And at the same time, Brown made some unrelated and unforced errors around workplace conduct which cast further doubt on her campaign. Some background: Last year, Vasquez filed a draft of a judicial disqualification against Brown which accused her of making mistakes in six out of the hundreds of cases she’s presided over for the past five years. According to independent legal experts interviewed by the Oregonian, none of these so-called errors were ethical violations, and the majority were, as they defined them, “mere procedural hiccups.” Nevertheless, the always camera-hungry Vasquez demanded that Brown be blackballed from presiding over major trials (such as murder or Measure 11 cases), and began his shit-talking campaign to the press in the days before the election filing deadline—and as a result of seeing the coverage, Klym saw an opportunity to jump into the race at the last second.
To be sure, Vasquez’s actions were shameful, self-serving, and will certainly be remembered when he attempts to hold on to his position in 2028. (Good luck, pal! You’ll need it!) That said, the DA’s disinformation campaign did inspire the press to dig deeper into Brown’s behavior outside the courtroom—specifically her interactions with coworkers, which struck us as troubling. Public records revealed Brown used insensitive language in an online coworker group chat during a criminal trial in which a two-year-old boy was gravely and permanently injured, made disparaging (but probably true) comments toward a prosecutor, and engaged in a petty interoffice feud with a now former Multnomah County judicial clerk over coffee pods (a story too stupid to recount here). Brown also seemed to assume no one would dare challenge her for this position, failing to hit the deadline to submit her bio for the voters’ guide, and complaining about having to campaign in yet another office online chat. These incidents were hard to square with Brown’s respectable performance inside the court, where she presided over hundreds of cases in a fair, judicious manner, but in the end was the sticking point for our editorial board. Voters elected Brown to be fair and thoughtful both inside and outside the courtroom, and these incidents were too glaring for the majority of our board to ignore.
This brings us to the Johnny-come-lately candidate in this race, Peter Klym, who, by most metrics, appears to be decently qualified, if a bit opportunistic. He’s spent the last decade as a public defender, and says he’s represented more than 500 clients in hearings and trials, making him qualified to handle the huge backlog of cases in Multnomah County Court. Klym also says he is an advocate for alternative solutions and restorative justice (when appropriate), and as an appellate attorney, is very familiar with the subtleties of the law that can often be overlooked by many on the bench. And not for nothing, he worked on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and has been gassed during Portland’s racial justice protests (same, girl!). Soooo… yeah. Peter Klym seems fine. By a divided vote, this is who we are endorsing, though feel free to follow your own heart in this matter. (But more importantly, vote Nathan Vasquez out of office in 2028.)
Multnomah County Circuit Court, Position 14: Joe Hagedorn
Joe Hagedorn was one of a bevy of impressive candidates seeking a family court seat (these endorsements ain’t easy!) Hagedorn is already serving as a full-time family law judge pro-tem in Multnomah County and prior to that, he was a public defender for 17 years, where he worked in treatment courts and with children and families in the juvenile court system. He previously served on a committee that worked to ensure more Portland police officers receive enhanced crisis intervention training and de-escalation techniques, and helped develop a treatment court program focused on offering substance use treatment to certain offenders in lieu of prison time.
Family law court deals with everything from child custody decisions, to domestic violence cases, and juvenile offenders. Like any other courtroom, it can be high stress and high stakes. We think Hagedorn has the right temperament, experience, and perspective to serve children, families, and those who find themselves at odds with the law before reaching adulthood. That said, an honorable mention goes to Elizabeth Savage, whose explanations of her approach to presiding over a courtroom impressed us. Savage talked about the value of her own diverse life experience, and how it helped her recognize barriers to justice, but she also emphasized the importance of making sure her own experiences don’t create unconscious bias. That kind of measured approach is essential and we think she’d do well in the role, if elected.
Measures
Measure 120: Transportation Services—Yes
Raises state gas tax by six cents per gallon, increases annual registration fees from $43 to $85 for passenger vehicles, increases passenger vehicle title fees from $77 to $216. Expected to generate more than $4 billion over the next decade for the Oregon Department of Transportation, as well as county and city transportation departments.
With Measure 120, Oregon voters are being asked to weigh in on the much-needed transportation package state Democrats passed by the skin of their teeth in a special legislative session last fall. We encourage a “yes” vote because Oregon is in desperate need of more funding in order to provide basic transportation services to its residents, and because the debate here has been exploited by Republicans who are misrepresenting the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) accountability problems for their own political purposes. But we aren’t going to try that hard to convince you to vote for this, either—why would we, when Oregon Democrats aren’t even putting in the effort to campaign for the bill they worked so hard to pass?
ODOT has been unaccountable with its excessive spending on unnecessary freeway megaprojects, and that needs to be addressed. But freeway expansions or not, the state still needs more money to pay for crucial maintenance and safety programs. If this bill doesn’t pass, Oregon legislators will spend the next legislative session (and possibly beyond) locked in the exact same fight over transportation funding. But the most important reason to vote yes is to send a message to Oregon Republicans that governing by referendum is a losing strategy.
Measure 26-261: Five Year Levy, Oregon Historical Society—Yes
If you’re one of those people who think that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it, then this should be an easy “yes” decision. The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is back on the ballot this year, and hoping you will renew the levy you approved in 2021 that will help keep their library, museum, and educational programs going strong. Besides their tireless research and preservation of Oregon historical artifacts, the Society’s work also benefits museums in East County, Gresham, Troutdale, and Crown Point, and is a seemingly bottomless treasure chest of fascinating stories of our state’s collective history. And for all you get from OHS, the levy we’re being asked to pay remains a bargain. It continues to be only five cents per $1,000 assessed property value—which works out to between $12 and $14 per year for the average homeowner. And while some people blanch at the idea of continuing to pay yet another tax (hello, libertarians and the Taxpayer Association of Oregon), knowing who we are and where we came from is critical to making progress in our future. So throw the Oregon Historical Society a sawbuck and some change to help keep Oregon history alive.
US House of Representatives
US House, 1st District: Suzanne Bonamici
Suzanne Bonamici is seeking another term in Congress and we think she deserves to be reelected. Here’s the thing about Bonamici: She’s pretty much your traditional Dem. You can rely on her to fight for expanded health care access, uphold abortion rights and defend mail-in voting, while fighting against the Trump administration (she’s currently trying to keep ICE agents out of sensitive locations like schools and has introduced legislation to prevent immigration agents from wearing masks while snatching people off the streets.) Just don’t expect her to push the envelope or do anything to ruffle too many feathers.
In 2024, she voted to send military aid to Israel—a move that led her Democratic challenger, Jamil Ahmad, to enter the race. To be clear, Ahmad didn’t mount a serious challenge. In fact, he said he’d withdraw from the election if Bonamici committed in writing to deny any military aid to Israel, but the sentiment fueling the campaign should be noted.
Bonamici defended her vote, noting she did so because it provided crucial humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Since then, she’s opposed defense spending on military aid to Israel. She also disputes the amount of campaign contributions and campaign spending from pro-Israel lobbying groups on her behalf that sites like AIPAC Tracker list for her, and says she won’t accept AIPAC donations during this election cycle. No politician is perfect, and Bonamici has shown up for her district in meaningful ways.
US House, 3rd District: Maxine Dexter
It was not so long ago that Maxine Dexter failed to denounce AIPAC-aligned donations to her campaign for the 3rd District seat she now holds, and that was concerning for a lot of voters. But she has largely made good and shown independence, signing onto the Block the Bombs Act, the War Powers resolution, and more. Dexter has also used her congressional oversight powers fairly well in the fight against ICE, visiting facilities in the Pacific Northwest and in Texas, and helping to free a constituent family—including four children—from detention. Dexter’s nominal challenger, Jessica Salas, certainly has some idealistic views that fall on the right side of history. But the campaign seems largely fueled by Instagram influencer vibes and impromptu shoutdowns of Dexter in the streets, not the effective representation everyone deserves.
US House, 5th District: No endorsement
The incumbent, Janelle Bynum, will almost surely be the Democratic nominee. Her challenger, Zeva Rosenbaum, didn’t run a serious campaign and did not respond to the Mercury’s questions about her policy stances. That said, Bynum should take note. Her opponent did rack up an endorsement from Clackamas County Democrats and zeroed in on key issues like Bynum’s vote in favor of the Laken Riley Act—deemed by many as a bill that exploited a tragic murder to demonize immigrants—as a source of frustration among the congresswoman’s constituents on the left. Bynum also didn’t curry much favor with voters after her support for a resolution to “express gratitude” for law enforcement officers, including ICE. We’ll revisit the 5th District race in November.
US Senate
US Senator: Jeff Merkley
Jeff Merkley has been a consistent force for good, showing the kind of leadership on the left that many of his congressional colleagues cannot find the courage for. Since Trump’s first term, Merkley has hardly wavered in standing up to his bully tactics, and hasn’t wavered a bit on rejecting military aid for Israel’s wars in Gaza and Iran. Merkley has voted against a ton of Trump’s nominees, but it’s worth noting he did vote to confirm Marco Rubio alongside every other Senate colleague, which history will prove quite a regrettable decision.
IN A HURRY TO VOTE? See our handy-dandy election cheat sheet here. Reminder that election day is May 19, and mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than May 19 in order to be counted. (Ballot box drop off locations here.) The Mercury Election Strike Force is News Editor Courtney Vaughn, Reporters Taylor Griggs and Jeremiah Hayden, Managing Editor Katherine Chew Hamilton, and Editor-in-Chief Wm. Steven Humphrey.