Editor’s Note: The Oregon Primary will be held Tuesday, May 19. Therefore, this is the last issue for election letters. Letters received after deadline will be included here.
Gambee qualified
Qualifications for Wasco County Commissioner: truthful, willing to work hard, listener and understands the needs of the constituents. Lisa Gambee fits all these qualifications and more.
As county clerk, Lisa dealt the difficulties with COVID issues during an election year. I was a poll watcher during that election. Lisa used Zoom to train and communicate with her volunteer poll watchers. She also posted a video on the Wasco County website to inform her constituents how the ballot is processed. It is still on the site. I also had a daughter that was living in England at the time. Lisa and her office were extremely helpful in assisting her, giving her the ability to participate in the election. Our elections were and are secure as a result of the leadership of Lisa Gambee.
As a community member, Lisa is committed to keeping our towns and outlying areas safe from wildfires. She lives in Tygh Valley and knows first-hand how devastating a fire can be after the Larch Creek fire changed the landscape of their property and those around her. Living in a rural community, Lisa listens to community members and understands the importance of working together and volunteering in community organizations. She will work to keep those volunteer organization, such as fire and ambulance, functioning by seeking a more stable funding. It is important to the rural community to know those organizations will be there when needed.
There isn’t any candidate that is more qualified. Please join with me, Vote for Lisa Gambee for Wasco County Commissioner on May 19.
Bev and Doug Froemming
Tygh Valley
We need Hank
Our nation, state, and local communities need more young voices in politics. We need people who are willing to advocate for change and fight for the needs of all Oregonians. Hank Sanders is that person. He offers new perspectives and real solutions, paired with the skills he gained from working as a journalist and listening to people. A couple of weeks ago, he came to Hood River Valley High School to engage with students in the club Gorge Youth Movement, both teaching and learning from the youth. If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to cast your vote for Hank!
Rowan McKenna
Hood River
Pool is vital
This month, we make a big decision about the future of our parks and pool. As a mother and an educator, both these programs have meant a lot to me.
As a mom, my children have gone to swim lessons, and then come back as swimmers to enjoy years of recreation. As an educator, I have seen children go from fear of the water to basic skills in the pool and obvious joy in their achievements. I can’t imagine our community without this resource.
You may think it’s not vital if you don’t use the pool yourself. However, having positive activities for young people to engage in are important to all of us who form our community. In addition, knowing that these skills might save a life should comfort all of us. We have much water recreation around us.
Community Education is another huge resource. Again, engaged kids are happy kids, more able to stay out of trouble and doing things that will benefit us all.
Please vote yes for parks and pools!
Shannon Perry
Hood River
Osborn for HD52
The race for HD 52 is an important campaign, and we have a real opportunity to flip the seat back to Democratic control for the first time since I was in office. As a person who cares deeply about Oregon state policy and its impact on our district, I see a clear choice in this race, and I’m excited to endorse David Osborn. As an educator, school board member, and longtime non-profit leader in our district, David Osborn brings the grounded leadership and experience our district needs in Salem. His values and commitments align with our community, and I’m confident that he will be able to deliver for our district and be a rural progressive leader in the legislature.
David is an experienced campaigner, a hard worker, and has the background to beat a tough Republican challenger in the general election. His tenacious work ethic, discipline, and personal story are only part of why I believe he can win the general election in November.
As I have gotten to know him, I’ve been impressed by his thoughtful approach and his ability to listen to what really matters to voters across our district. Please join me in voting for David Osborn in the May primary. It is important that we help David get across the finish line in the primary so we are putting our best candidate forward.
Anna Williams
Hood River
Billion for ballroom
Senate Republicans are widely reported to have added $1 BILLION to a bill to fund immigration enforcement, for “security upgrades” to Mr. Trump’s illegal ballroom (“GOP bill would fund $1B in White House security upgrades for Trump’s ballroom,” AP News, May 5). They claim this is necessary because, by the Justice Department’s own admission, current security measures very successfully thwarted an apparent assassin at a public venue. The claim is based on an assertion that only a hardened facility within the White House security perimeter will afford safe opportunities for Mr. Trump to attend large events. What this has to do with immigration enforcement is left unexplained, as is any acknowledgment that the urgency of the billion taxpayer dollars flies in the face of an illegal project which Mr. Trump repeatedly said was entirely privately funded.
There are at least two truths laid bare here.
First, the security argument is bogus.
Existing protocols in the face of threat swiftly remove the president to parts unknown, because this is the best way to ensure his/her safety. That’s what happened in each of the three attempts on Mr. Trump’s life, and what would happen if any threat surfaces within the White House security perimeter. It’s unlikely that will change with the addition of a hardened, illegal ballroom. If it’s actually used as the primary refuge in the face of threat, the illegal ballroom might as well be known as the “One Big Beautiful Bullseye.”
Second, Senate Republicans know this, and they also know that the purpose of the ballroom has very little to do with security. Rather, its purpose is to maximize the space available to a president for hosting events with access to our highest office, for a price either in dollars or in political influence, or both.
The sad unspoken truth is that Senate Republicans, under the cynical guise of “protecting” Mr. Trump, want you and I to pay for an illegal venue dedicated to consolidating and making obscenely clear the principle that we don’t matter — that money and power rule.
Jim Appleton
Mosier
Bassett for SD26
We need to get things done. We need someone who knows the hustle, how to take something that isn’t working and make it work.
As a local business owner, I’m voting for Nicole Bassett for Senate District 26, because she’s run a business in this community and she’s seen the challenges facing local businesses and workers trying to keep up in an increasingly chaotic, unaffordable economy. Nicole studied business and has spent 20 years helping companies implement bold changes that improve workers’ lives, reduce environmental harm, and generate profits. She doesn’t just put a band-aid on a problem or blame someone else. She gets to the root cause to fix things in a resilient way. And she’s honest. She has been named Vogue Business 100 Innovator in Sustainability, a Grist 50 Fixer, and Portland Business Journal Executive of the Year. Nicole is a problem solver and I think she’ll listen to us, not to Salem or Washington, D.C.
Michael Hanson
Hood River
Hege will serve
The position of state representative has requirements that few other jobs can match. On any given day, the job requires the representative to engage in high level conversations about economic development, natural resources, tax policy and education standards. And all of this can happen before noon. To serve effectively, a representative needs to have a broad base of practical experience and knowledge in a wide variety of areas. Having prior experience as an elected official is also very valuable prior to serving in the legislature.
I can say all of this because I had the privilege of serving the Gorge and Mount Hood region in the Oregon Legislature from 2010-2017 as the State Representative for House District 52. This election year, we have the opportunity to elect a new representative to serve us in Salem. And we are fortunate to have someone with Scott Hege’s qualifications step up to run for the office. Scott and his wife have raised their family in the Gorge. Scott has served with distinction on the Wasco County Commission, where he is currently chair, for the past 16 years. During this time, he has become intimately involved with a far-ranging portfolio of local issues, including economic development, natural management, tax policy, and budget management, just to name a few. Recently, Scott was honored by our local ski areas for his work in helping to pass the recreation waiver liability reforms that are vitally important for all of our local outdoor recreation businesses.
If you have met Scott, you know he enjoys listening and building relationships. And he is keenly focused on problem solving through collaboration. These are all personal traits that will serve him well in Salem and make a positive contribution to the atmosphere in our state’s capital. He is endorsed by a wide variety of current and past elected officials from The Dalles to Sandy.
I’m pleased to give my strong endorsement to Scott Hege for HD 52. I encourage you to vote for him in the May primary election as well.
Mark Johnson
Former State Representative House Oregon District 52
Support Gambee
We are writing in support of Lisa Gambee for Wasco County Commissioner. She is a proven leader with a deep knowledge of our county.
During her decade as Wasco County Clerk, Lisa worked closely with communities from Mosier in the northwest to Antelope in the southeast — Dufur, Maupin, Tygh Valley, Wamic, Pine Grove and Shaniko among them. She learned the character of each place, the challenges they face and the people who keep them going — priceless experience that matters. Lisa understands our county and has a strong record of collaborative, transparent service and integrity. She is the perfect fit to help lead our county now.
Please vote Lisa Gambee, our new Wasco County Commissioner, Position 1!
Marolyn Wilks
Bruce Lumper
The Dalles
Just go
What we are seeing from Republicans in southern states, such as Texas, Virginia and Tennessee, is what I would like to call a “soft secession.” We are seeing the splitting of this country into Republican and Democrat strongholds. We need to meet this moment by redistricting Oregon so as to lock in a Democrat super majority in perpetuity. This is not something I would normally suggest, as it is radically undemocratic, but Republicans have put the last nail in the coffin of democracy and we need to meet their energy. This, or risk never winning a federal election ever again.
It is the opinion of this writer that this country needs a national divorce. Democrats, liberals, and progressives of all types have lived under the abuse, hypocrisy, narcissism, and selfishness of the GOP for too long; we tried to make the relationship work for the sake of the kids, but enough is enough.
I would go so far as to say that red states can keep America, and blue states can create a new country. I’m willing to part with all the iconography of America at this point. What was ever good and honorable and worth preserving about this country is gone. Republicans cashed it in for the favor of a rapist and pedophile.
I say let Republicans wallow in their hopeless ineptitude. You’ve earned it.
Benjamin Sheppard
Hood River
Editor’s note: This Benjamin Sheppard is not affiliated with Sheppard’s Orchard and Vineyard Equipment.
Impressed by Brady
I am writing this letter to recommend Phil Brady for Wasco County Commissioner. I am consistently impressed by Phil’s dedication to our community’s housing and healthcare needs. In his first term, he focused on practical results. As chair of the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority, he led the needed expansion of affordable housing (130 units underway and 76 more coming), supported shelters and services that help people move out of homelessness, and protected access to healthcare and behavioral health services.
Phil’s advisory and advocacy work on behalf of the Deschutes Rim Health Clinic was instrumental in establishing essential health care access for local area residents. Phil’s ability to bring the right people together and his follow through helped find additional needed support and funds to hire a full-time healthcare provider.
In serving with Phil on the board of directors for the North Central Public Health District over the past year and a half, I’ve observed his unique ability to understand people’s needs, put himself in others shoes, bring people together and earn their trust.
Phil genuinely and personally cares about all of the people in our community. It isn’t unusual for Phil to show up at the food bank just to say hello and have a conversation with folks. During Wamic’s Rendezvous Days, local children happily gather around his booth to engage in one of the special science projects he’s designed for them.
I am proud to support Phil Brady for re-election, and I hope you’ll join me.
Judy Starr
Tygh Valley
Hank is tireless
I’m writing to share my support of Hank Sanders for State Representative in the 2026 Democratic Primary. As someone with years of experience fighting for working families, running a local small business, and organizing community events in The Dalles, I’ve learned how important it is to have enthusiasm for our community and the energy to get things done. Hank has both.
When I first met Hank, his enthusiasm for solving tough challenges in our community was immediately apparent. So was his energy. In his campaign, he has knocked on every single Democratic primary voter’s door — all 8,500 of them. He’s been tirelessly meeting with hundreds of folks across the district to talk about how to lower housing costs, create good jobs, and support our schools.
As I’ve learned and read about all of the candidates in this primary race, I’ve asked myself: who has the energy to fight for our community and the skill-set to deliver results? Who has the courage to reach across political divides and work to get things done? Who is best equipped to navigate Salem without forgetting about The Dalles? The answer to each question is Hank Sanders. Hank knows rural Oregon and he can hit the ground running in Salem to fight for our families. Join me in supporting Hank Sanders for state representative in the primary election.
Marcus Swift
The Dalles
Why vote Hank?
I first met Hank shortly after a political event in The Dalles, when he reached out to invite me for coffee. My first impression was his youth, paired with an enthusiastic and thoughtful approach to the complex issues facing Oregon — not just today, but in the years ahead. Hank is young, smart, and capable, with a genuine desire to work across perspectives to find practical solutions for all Oregonians.
I’m often asked why more young people aren’t involved in politics, especially when so many candidates are nearing or already in retirement. Hank Sanders brings something different. He has the energy, curiosity, and commitment to grow into an effective representative. His experience working for an Oregon State Senator, along with his background as an investigative reporter for major metro newspapers, has already given him a strong foundation.
I also believe Hank has the ability to engage and inspire a younger generation to participate in the political process — something we need during a time of rapid change.
For these reasons, I support Hank for District 52.
Bill Lennox
The Dalles
Be sure to vote
Your ballot is probably sitting on a kitchen counter right now. With May 19 almost here, every vote matters — especially in a low-turnout election.
Hood River has two measures on this ballot that won’t come around again: 14-83 to replace our failing pool, and 14-84 to keep Community Education running past September, when its current funding ends. Together, they cost most households under $27 a month. Vote yes on both. Then check in with a few neighbors. A quick text works: “I just dropped my ballot — have you?” Small reminders make a real difference in local elections.
Please don’t wait. Drop your ballot today, and vote yes on 14-83 and 14-84.
Nancy Roach
Hood River
Pool is for all
A friend of mine my age grew up in Parkdale, and she never learned to swim. My parents made it a priority to take me and my three siblings for swimming lessons to the city pool. My mother’s parents did not allow my mom to learn to swim or ride a bicycle due to their fear of her getting hurt.
I can’t imagine a childhood without swimming or bicycling. Both of these skills I learned have brought my life a lot of joy, safety, exercise, and confidence in my abilities. For 40 years, I have lived in the Hood River Valley surrounded by rivers and lakes, and have needed often my skills to swim to keep safe. We need a pool in Hood River County to enjoy, a place to learn to swim, to exercise, to swim together as a family, and do our physical therapy. People and children of all ages use the pool from parents and babies to seniors.
Please vote YES on the Pool Bond and Parks and Recreation levy on May 19. Keep the POOL and RECREATION opportunities available and thriving in our community!
Nancy Johanson Paul
Hood River
Fact and fiction
Rumor has it that Washington state is playing partisan politics with taxpayers’ money. It plans to reduce funding for counties that promote radical right ideology, eliminate DEI from county government, and ban transgender athletes.
Are you outraged that the state would use taxpayers’ money for the political promotion of a narrow ideology? The good news is that I made up that rumor: Washington state has no intention of punishing counties and people for their beliefs and values.
But in the other Washington, the Trump administration is using taxpayer money to punish Democratic-led states. Millions of dollars in grant funding for wildfire prevention and protection on federal lands will not be released until state officials agree to adopt Trump’s views on DEI, transgender athletes, and immigration. The problem: blue states have passed laws and created policies that prevent state agencies from legally agreeing to this political coercion.
As a result, Washington state has been unable to issue Community Wildfire Defense Grants, a federal program that helps neighborhoods and towns reduce fuels and fortify homes in wildfire-prone areas. Trump has also used this tactic in distributing FEMA funds, denying or delaying applications from blue states.
At this point, no one should be surprised at the D.C. tyrant who has lied to Americans for more than a decade. People, democracy, America, and the world do not matter to him unless he can make a financial transaction. He’s a con man, selling lies, practicing corruption and market manipulation, and making inhumane decisions. And the MAGA GOP, including Dan Newhouse, has silently stood by, allowing the destruction of democratic norms and the lives of millions of people to be altered permanently.
Vote blue and impeach Trump before he completely destroys what’s left of America.
Sue Kusch
White Salmon
HB 4153 debacle
At the behest of the anti-land use OPOA and their 12 clients, the legislature passed a stores-on-farmland bill during the 2026 short session. Ostensibly intended to clarify the existing farm stand statute, HB 4153 was so poorly written that it would have prevented the smallest farmers from getting a farm stand at all. The bill sponsors made a series of six amendments, while a comprehensive amendment by Friends of Family Farmers was not allowed to be read. Ultimately, the bill became an entirely new land use category, adding a confusing and unnecessary layer on top of existing laws that already allow retail sales, food service, playgrounds and agri-tourism, but with guardrails intended to ensure that agriculture remains the predominant use of the land. Statewide, 70% of those testifying opposed the bill; in Hood River, it was 93% (source: Oregon State Legislative System written testimony).
The legislative process was hijacked to bypass the only committee where there would have a robust policy debate. Proponents of the bill acknowledged that it was flawed and said the legislature would fix it later, without acknowledging the prohibitive cost of doing so. The sole rationale for the bill was that landowners could make more money. Well, a landowner can make more money with a 10,000 square-foot retail mall and food court than an orchard, so why not that? A corporate investor can make more money with an amusement park than berries, or a tavern and a Harley Davidson outlet than cattle, so why not those? Oregon’s land use planning system protects farmers and neighbors from the conflicts inherent in these excesses; effective Jan. 1, 2027, HB 4153 appears to allow them. No one really knows the extent of the damage that HB 4153’s Disneyfication and commercialization of the Exclusive Farm Use zone will do to farmland prices and agriculture in Hood River and throughout Oregon. The only certainty is that applications will be embroiled in litigation for years, at considerable cost to counties. HB 4153 is both unnecessary and potentially devastating, and should be repealed in 2027.
Chris Robuck, co-president,
Thrive Hood River
Teacher for Osborn
I am writing to offer my strong support for David Osborn as our next State Representative for House District 52. I spent my career as a kindergarten and first grade teacher, and I care deeply about what our schools need to succeed. I also had the privilege of working alongside David during one of the most difficult periods in our district’s history. His steady leadership, creativity, and commitment to collaboration helped pull our district back from the brink.
That experience matters. David understands, at a real level, what happens when schools are underfunded — and what it takes to fix it. Now serving as vice-chair of the Corbett School Board, he has continued to see what so many of us already know: our schools simply do not have the resources to provide the education our students deserve. David is committed to changing that. He is one of the few candidates with both the experience and the determination to fix Oregon’s broken school funding model so that every child has access to a high-quality education.
What sets David apart is not just his knowledge, but his integrity and work ethic. He listens, he brings people together, and he does the hard work necessary to solve problems. He has spent decades serving our community, and he is ready to take that same dedication to Salem. If we want someone who will truly fight for our students, our teachers, and our schools, David Osborn is the clear choice.
Maureen Childs
Corbett
Larson on data centers
The rapid expansion of data centers in The Dalles deserves closer scrutiny before we allow further growth. These facilities bring economic benefits, but they also consume enormous amounts of electricity and water — resources that are already under pressure in our region.
We should pause and carefully study the long-term impacts on our power grid, local water supply, and environment. Once these resources are strained, the consequences will not be easy to reverse. Responsible growth means understanding the trade-offs before committing to more large-scale development.
Republican candidate Peter Larson wants to take a practical, measured stance on this issue. His support for slowing expansion until we have clearer data reflects a commitment to both economic stability and resource stewardship. That kind of balanced leadership is exactly what our community needs.
Growth should not come at the expense of sustainability. Let’s take the time to get this right. Vote for Peter Larson for Congressional District 2.
Megan Christine
Prineville
Voting no for pool, ed
I am voting no on the proposed Community Ed Levy and Community Pool Bond — not because I oppose these programs, but because I believe Hood River needs a more sustainable and creative approach to funding community services.
My children benefited greatly from Community Education programs growing up. They played sports, participated in art and theater, climbed, took swimming lessons, and spent countless hours at the pool. These programs matter, and I understand why many people want to preserve and improve them. But once again, local residents are being asked to shoulder the burden through higher property taxes. At some point, we have to ask whether this cycle is sustainable for working families, retirees, and longtime residents already struggling with the rising cost of living in Hood River.
For years, we were told that offering tax advantages to attract businesses would generate enough jobs and economic growth to strengthen our tax base and reduce pressure on local homeowners. Yet, we continue to face new levies and bonds for essential community services. That promise has clearly fallen short.
Hood River is no longer just a small rural town. It is a thriving destination community that benefits from tourism year-round. Visitors come here for wind sports, mountain biking, wineries, breweries, restaurants, the Fruit Loop, and outdoor recreation. We also have many second-home owners who enjoy our community seasonally. Other tourist communities have found ways to capture revenue from these visitors through lodging, restaurant, or recreation-related taxes instead of relying almost entirely on property owners.
Before asking residents for more money yet again, our leaders should demonstrate a willingness to explore broader funding solutions that spread the responsibility more fairly among everyone who benefits from Hood River’s amenities and economy.
Voting no is not a vote against Community Ed or the pool. It is a vote for better planning, greater accountability, and a long-term vision that keeps Hood River vibrant and affordable for the people who actually live here.
Glen Patrizio
Hood River
The forever war
When Obama/Biden dropped $1.7 billion in cash on Iran and lifted sanctions that released another $50 to $120 billion in frozen assets (source: Wikipedia), I did not see any reason to think the bribery would work any better than it did with North Korea, especially with a regime of fanatics who chant “Death to America,” believe America is the “Great Satan” and a nuclear holocaust would bring the Shia Massiah. I did not, however, hope it would fail, and when it DID fail and the billions of dollars were used to support more terrorism and further advance their nuclear ambitions, I felt no satisfaction in that failure.
Not so the Democrats. From the outset they have clearly demonstrated they hope Trump (and America) fails catastrophically. Obviously, they hope they can then leverage that into political gain and maybe, finally, bring Trump down. Nothing they say or do even hint at a desire to see America finally neutralize the threat every president since Carter has warned us about. That would be a “bad” outcome if it in any way was seen as a win for Trump.
This is not a “new” or “optional” war. It IS a “forever” war in that Iran has been at war with us for half a century. They have killed and maimed thousands of Americans and if they ever get a nuclear weapon, THEY WILL USE IT! Further, they have been aggressively building up their air defenses and the window of opportunity to act without incurring massive losses was rapidly closing. Waiting until the threat was “imminent” would mean waiting until it was too late (source: Wikipedia).
Now Iran has no immediate path to nuclear weapons, a demolished military, no ballistic missile threat, unable to blackmail the world by closing the strait, a collapsing economy and a population poised to revolt. Russia and China are back on their heels, most of the Middle East is on our side, and Europe is exposed as the worthless “allies” they are.
If you regard these successes as bad news, you hate Trump more than you love your country. That is very sad.
Steve Hudson
The Dalles
For Osborn
I moved to Corbett right after Y2K, a city kid from Portland dropped into 4H, mountain views, and conservative values. It was hard to imagine a place like this becoming safe for the queer family I would build 20 years in the future.
In 2025, as our eldest started kindergarten at Corbett’s public charter school, I was proud to watch her walk into the same building where I’d done theater as a kid. Weeks later, our district exposed a $2 million budget deficit. The school board meetings were packed and heated that fall — and it was disheartening to watch board members refuse to take responsibility for the mismanagement.
David Osborn decided to bring his skill and devotion forward, and ran for the board. He didn’t just win his seat — he turned the tides, organizing to support three other progressive members get elected alongside him. It brings me great ease to know that inclusion, curiosity, and heart are now guiding our kids’ educational futures.
David is not the kind of person we have the opportunity to vote into office every day. His ability to see challenges from a bird’s eye view, to bring people of all walks of life together, to listen attentively and stay in process; these are the skills our governments desperately need.
As a psychiatric nurse practitioner serving rural and marginalized communities, I need to trust that the people making decisions about healthcare, housing, food, and education costs are coming to the table determined to hold people’s basic needs at the center.
David Osborn, thank you for saying yes to this act of service.
Roe Cohen Jules
Corbett
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