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Congress District 5

Jamie McLeod-Skinner

Oregon’s redistricting process last year dramatically changed the makeup of Congressional District 5. The reshaped district now includes swaths of Linn and Deschutes counties in addition to Clackamas and Marion counties—a mix of city, suburb, and rural Oregonians. While many politicians hem and haw over Oregon’s rural-urban divide, Jamie McLeod-Skinner actually has the skills, relationships, and vision to fairly represent the district while pushing for decisive action to mitigate climate change and support economic recovery.

McLeod-Skinner has varied experience as an attorney, emergency response coordinator, small business owner, and former city councilor in California. In 2021, she served as the Interim City Manager for Talent, Oregon—the town that was devastated by the 2020 wildfires—where she managed millions of dollars in federal aid and an emergency housing crisis.

When talking about traditionally progressive issues like health care and climate change, McLeod-Skinner skips partisan vocabulary and effectively communicates how investments in solutions will help all Oregonians —a valuable skill in a purple district. In our endorsement interview, she noted how many Republican voters had told her how much they appreciated the Affordable Care Act (ACA) but hated Obamacare (the nickname given to the ACA), emphasizing that the urban-rural divide often isn’t a partisan chasm but rather a communication issue. As the nation faces a stark deadline to dramatically reduce our carbon emissions by 2030, we need progressive representatives who can transcend partisan divides and actually move us towards our climate goals.

McLeod-Skinner is facing longtime Congressman Kurt Schrader, who represents the pre-redistricted Congressional District 5. While Schrader’s incessant TV ads may have you thinking he’s a staunch protector of healthcare and small businesses, his voting record shows a different story. Schrader voted against multiple COVID relief efforts, like the American Rescue Plan funding, stimulus checks, and housing assistance. He has also repeatedly voted to repeal various environmental protections and was the deciding vote in blocking Medicare from negotiating lower prescription drug prices as part of the Build Back Better Act. Schrader, who is backed by major pharmaceutical companies, categorizes his voting as representing the varied interests of his district. Yet, his constituents seem to get the short end of the stick on many of his centrist compromises.

Schrader’s last-ditch campaign ads shows that, maybe for the first time in the 13 years he’s represented the district, he’s actually afraid of losing. We encourage you to prove his fears right and vote for McLeod-Skinner.

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