Decision 2026: The stage is set for a busy May primary election season; here’s who’s running locally
Barney Lerten
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The stage is set for a busy Central Oregon campaign season leading up to the May 19 primary election, with dozens of incumbents and challengers vying for new and existing positions, and several funding measures sharing the ballot.
Now that Tuesday’s filing deadline has passed, here’s a look at who’s seeking what positions.
KTVZ News will have complete Decision 2026 coverage throughout the spring and fall election seasons.
To vote in the May primary, you have until April 28th to register or change your party affiliation.
Meanwhile, candidates have until this Friday to withdraw from a race and not appear in the Voters Pamphlet.
The only measure possibly on the statewide ballot – depending on the final outcome of a legal fight – is the gas tax and vehicle fee increase passed by Legislature, sent to the fall ballot on a citizen referendum and moved up to the May primary by the Democrat-led Legislature. Opposing Republicans have challenged that move in court.
You can search for the candidates and their filings in any Oregon congressional, statewide and legislative races at this spot on the secretary of state’s website.
Congress
Senate Democrat Jeff Merkley is running for his fourth term and faces one party challenger in May, Paul Damian Wells. Seven Republicans are competing to take him on in November: Brent Barker, Deborah C. Brown, David Burch, Russell McAlmond, Jo Rae Perkins, Timothy Skelton and David Brock Smith.
In the race for House District 2, incumbent Republican Cliff Bentz has drawn two GOP challengers, Andrea Carr and Peter J. Larson. The winner will face one of six Democrats in the race: Chris Beck, Mary Doyle, Rebecca Mueller, Peter Quince, Dawn Rasmussen and Patty Snow.
The House District 5 race finds incumbent Janelle Bynum with one Democratic challenger, Zeve Rosenbaum. Two Republicans filed for a chance to unseat her: Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair and Jonathan Lockwood.
Governor
Democrat Tina Kotek, seeking her second four-year term, has drawn nine Democratic challengers: Forest (Fora) Alexander, James Atkinson IV, Donnie Backwith, David W. Beem, Brittany Jones, Cal Kishawi, Steve William Laible, Tristan Sheppard and Miranda Weigler.
And 15 people are on the GOP ballot: Danielle Bethell, Hope A. Dalrymple, Ed Diehl, Christine Drazan, Chris Dudley, Kyle M. Duyck, David Medina, Robert Neuman, Brad T. Peters, Matthew Platt, Paul J. Romero Jr., DeAngelo Leroy Turner, Wen Waddell, Martin Ward and Tim O. Youker.
Oregon Legislature
House District 54 Representative Jeff Kropf faces Democratic challenger Andrew Caruana in May, but no Republican filed to run for the seat in November.
House District 59 Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson faces no GOP challengers, but Democrat Lawrence Jones has filed in a bid to unseat her this fall.
It’s a similar situation for House District 53 Representative Emerson Levy, who is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. One Republican, Michael Summers, will be trying to take the seat in November.
One closely watched race – between incumbent Interim Sheriff Ty Rupert and James (Mac) McLaughlin – moves to the November general election, under state constitutional requirements, since fewer than three candidates filed for the position.
A November race also will take place for county assessor. Zachary Hastings and Tana West will vie for the position, after Scot Langton’s recent retirement.
County Commissioner Tony DeBone faces two challengers for the Position 1 seat in May, Jamie Collins and Brooke West. John Heylin filed but withdrew his candidacy Dec. 1, while Gary (GW) Campbell pulled out of that race and filed for the Position 3 race.
Six candidates have filed for the Position 3 seat now held by Adair, who decided to run for the U.S. House seat held by Bynum. Along with Gary Campbell, voters will choose among Charles Webster Baer, Lauren Connally, Samuel Facey, Amanda Page and Amy Sabbadini.
Deschutes County voters who recently approved expanding the three-member, non-partisan commission to five members will have several candidates to choose from for the two new positions, both of which begin with two-year terms.
Two candidates are now in the Position 4 race – Rick Russell and Chet Wamboldt. Another candidate, Maddie McKinney, announced Wednesday she’s withdrawing from the race and endorsed Campbell. Two others, Kathryn Osborne and Samuel Facey, withdrew earlier, and Facey switched to the Position 3 commission race.
Four candidates are seeking the other new commission seat, Position 5: Ron (Rondo) Boozell, Rob Imhoff, Jennfer Letz and Morgan Schmidt. Two others, Baer and John Nielsen, withdrew from the race last fall.
As KTVZ News recently reported, three Deschutes County fire districts are seeking new or renewed five-year levies for staffing and other needs. They are the only money measures on the county ballot.
There’s a three-way race for Crook County Commission Position 2, the seat currently held by Brian Barney, who did not file for re-election. Zach Berger, Rick Steber and Julie Thompson, will be vying to fill that seat.
It’s a similar situation for county treasurer, as two candidates – Bill Anderson and Jessica Barnes – face off to fill the seat currently held by Treasurer Galan Carter, who decided not to run for re-election.
There are no local money measures on the Crook County ballot.
Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock will face former deputy Tyler Anderson for the position – but not until the November general election, since only two candidates filed by Tuesday’s deadline.
One of the three seats on the Jefferson County Commission in on the ballot. Incumbent Mark Wunsch has two men seeking to unseat him – Tony Chard and George Curtiss.
Meanwhile, current Commissioner Kelly Simmelink has drawn three challengers: Bill Atherton, Ara Erdekian and Greg Mead.
As we reported earlier, Jefferson County Library District voters will decide on a $15.9 million bond measure to build new libraries in Madras and Culver. The current Madras library would be remodeled as a multi-use facility, with community meeting space.
The Camp Sherman Road District will ask for a five-year renewal of its local option tax levy to fund snow plowing, grading and maintenance.