Results of the national election were devastating for Democrats. Most of us are in mourning for the loss of the presidency and majorities in Congress. Those of us who are ready to do so can reach out to those who are having difficulty emerging from their shock, and who may be in need of a compassionate embrace and an opportunity to express their loss.  

It’s a fact that millions of Americans voted for candidates aligned with the extreme MAGA agenda. But we also know millions of other Americans voted for freedom, democracy, and justice for their fellow Americans. You are not alone! Here in Oregon, a substantial majority of voters cast their ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz. 

There is still hope for a brighter future and better days ahead! 

While it’s clear that Donald Trump is popular as a national figure, his proposed policies and Project 2025 are not.   

Many of our friends, family members, and neighbors voted for Trump and his allies. But that doesn’t mean they truly support all of his extreme policies. Let’s be open to listening and looking for common ground with folks who didn’t vote for our candidates this time around.

Let’s not let the darkness of MAGA put out our light. In the darkness, light your candle – there is always hope.

A Blue Wall Stands Strong in Oregon 

For months, we raised funds, wrote postcards, knocked on doors, made phone calls and interacted with voters from all over Jackson County . . . Please know this work made a difference!  

Oregon voters continued to reject MAGA candidates seeking statewide office.  They entrusted Democrats to lead us as Secretary of State (Tobias Read), Attorney General (Dan Rayfield), and State Treasurer (Elizabeth Steiner). Democratic votes from Southern Oregon were important in securing these victories. 

Democrats will again be the majority party in our State Legislature. Locally, Representative Pam Marsh easily won her re-election bid and will once again be heading to Salem to represent us in the Oregon House of Representatives. State Senator Jeff Golden wasn’t up for re-election this year, but he will be returning to Salem to finish his term.

Thanks to you, we’ll have strong Oregon leaders to defend us from the extreme MAGA agenda.

Positive Results for Oregon on the Federal Level!

Our neighbors in Oregon District 5 have successfully flipped a Republican seat in the US House of Representatives. Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer was ousted by Democrat Janelle Bynum! Many folks in Jackson County wrote postcards to our fellow Oregonians in District 5 to help make this victory happen. Thank you! 

Here, in District 2, Democrat Dan Ruby ran a spirited and dogged campaign for the U.S. Congress. Although we didn’t oust Republican Cliff Bentz from his seat, Dan chipped away at Cliff Bentz’s complacency.

Bentz will be the lone Republican in the Oregon delegation to the US House of Representatives. Democrats Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, and Andrea Salinas were all re-elected and will join newly elected Democrats Janelle Bynum and Maxine Dexter in the House to push back against MAGA policies. 

Important City Council seats won by our Endorsed Candidates!

In Phoenix, a dynamic slate of progressive candidatesflipped the city council away from MAGA control. In January, Al Muelhoefer will take office as the new mayor, joined by three new city councilors: Virginia Camberos, Susan Chester and Nicole Suetos!

In Talent, our endorsed candidates Ana Byers, Daniel Collay, and Rosario Medina were all elected!

In Ashland, voters agreed with our recommendation to elect Dylan Bloom! 

In Gold Hill, voters re-electedMelia Biedscheid to city council!

In Medford, our endorsed candidate Garrett West won a city council seat for Ward 3.  And while our endorsed candidate for Mayor, Clay Bearson, lost his race, the voters of Medford soundly rejected the extremists Curt Ankerberg and Logan Vaughan.

Fighting the Good Fight

We lost several key races in our region, but we are extremely proud of our candidates for fighting the good fight and offering a clear choice to voters. 

Denise Krause made an inspiring effort to become the first Democrat to serve on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners since David Gilmour was elected to a second term in 2006.  Her opponent, Randy Sparacino, was well funded by the Medford Chamber PAC and a network of wealthy business owners. Undaunted, Denise nevertheless raised thousands of dollars in small donor contributions, knocked on thousands of doors in every community across the county, attended countless community events, showed up for every candidate forum she was invited to while her opponent dodged them, and demonstrated every day what it means to be accessible and accountable to the public.  We are incredibly thankful for her example and salute her competitive spirit, something all Democrats can learn from.  Denise will continue to serve on the Rogue Valley Transportation District Board and also work on other important issues in the county.  Stay tuned! 

Our candidates for the Oregon Legislature all worked hard in Jackson County to earn votes.Although these candidates were not ultimately successful this time around, every door knocked, every conversation with a voter, every event attended helps lay the foundation for future elections.  Thank you to Isabella Lee Tibbettsfor running as a Write-In candidate for Oregon House District 56, Richard Chasmfor House Oregon District 4, Lilia Caballero for Oregon House District 6, Dylan Gutridgefor Oregon Senate District 28, and Tracy Thompson for Oregon Senate District 2. 

What We Accomplished 

Our local party has much to be proud of. Our 2024 candidates worked hard and represented us well. A few of them are considering future runs for office. We invested nearly $40,000 to promote our candidates, up from $30,000 two years ago. The party expanded its number of Neighborhood Leaders for the first time since 2020. Meanwhile, we continued our efforts to reach out to non-affiliated voters and identify those who sympathize with Democratic values and policies. We have scores of enthusiastic new volunteers. Our party infrastructure is growing, which will help us become more competitive over time.

Looking Ahead

Oregon’s biennial Special District Elections (SDE) will be held on May 20, 2025. Our school boards and the library board, in particular, are of special concern as right-wing extremists attempt to infect our local government with their culture wars.  

The 2026 General Election will be a midterm referendum on Donald Trump’s Project 2025.  By extension, it will also be a referendum on the Oregon GOP’s official platform, which mirrors many themes in Project 2025.

Two County Commission positions will be on the 2026 ballot (positions held by Republicans Colleen Roberts and Rick Dyer).   Jackson County will also vote for Sheriff. Oregon Senate District 3, honorably and ably represented by Sen. Jeff Golden, will also be on the ballot.

The Jackson County Democrats will not waste time. We need to be ready to compete at all levels!

Stay tuned for a follow up newsletter with information about how you can help us in this effort. 

We’ll be updating our website in the coming weeks so that the website will be a good resource for you as we re-activate and reorganize.

Finally, we encourage all of you to take time to process your feelings about the election results. 

While “hard work is good work,” self-care is good care. And as we enter the holiday season, let’s all focus on everything we are grateful for in beautiful Southern Oregon.

As leaders in the local party, we are grateful for ALL of you. Your kindness, your energy, and hope for the future make Jackson County a better place to live.  

THANK YOU!

Jackson County Democrats
PO BOX 4474
Medford, OR 97501
United States

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