HD-36: The first open seat of 2012

Kari Chisholm FacebookTwitterWebsite

It's not often that legislative seats in Portland come open. In 2010, there were zero open seats in legislative districts within or including Portland.

But with the announcement that Rep. Mary Nolan is running for Portland City Council, her legislative seat is now open.

The district includes much Downtown, Old Town, and parts of the Alphabet District in northwest, as well as much of the west hills and the part of southwest Portland north of Multnomah Blvd. (Map here.)

Nolan was first elected in 2000 (to what was then HD-11) after a brutal four-way primary that she won by just 17 votes (by way of a recount) over Martin Taylor. The other two candidates were John Calhoun and Jim Davis.

Do you live in the district? Whether you do or not, what sort of candidate are you hoping runs?

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    A candidate who can bring home the bacon for OHSU, is what I would hope for. I no longer live in the district but I must say, these are very smart voters and a central theme around education in the campaign and if elected, would be nice -- whomever may run.

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    Sharon Meieran is a fantastic choice! I have been her partner in the Emergency Dept for years and have also worked with her on patient advocacy committees. We see firsthand what our community's health care needs are. She definitely has the dedication and leadership skills that it will require and has proven it. I hope she runs!!!

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    Erin I agree, Sharon will have great insight on health care that the legislature will need as the state and the Governor move forward on transformation of our current health care delivery system.

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    Rep. Nolan has accomplished many things in her time as a leader in the Oregon legislature and has been a strong advocate on a wide variety of issues. And even though I have never lived in her district, I've had the opportunity to work with her on a number of those issues.

    For my money, the most important role a candidate looking to step into this seat will need to fill is that of an advocate for women on women's issues. Nolan was one of the founding mother's of NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, has advocated for education, health care, equity, the list goes on and on. But more than that, she has been a role model for what a woman in leadership can achieve, and we have so few of those in this state.

    But this is about the next person to fill that seat. The next person to fill that seat needs to be someone who can take Nolan’s model and follow it. I run Emerge Oregon, the premier training program for Democratic women who are interested in running for office, and I know first-hand that we need more women who are willing to set that example. We need more women who are willing to step into public service and advocate for the issues they are passionate about. We have graduated 40 women—almost half of whom have been elected or appointed to office—and it’s not nearly enough.

    The next person to fill Nolan’s seat should be a woman who will be a role model, who will be a passionate advocate and who will represent the issues of that district from OHSU to Gabriel Park and back out to Old Town/Chinatown.

    I don't yet know who that woman is, but I look forward to meeting her.

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      Great point Laura - and I wanted to point out that Sharon Meiran is an Emerge Oregon alum herself.

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        And to be clear, when I said "I don't yet know who that woman is," I meant, the woman who eventually decides to throw her hat in the ring. I wasn't speaking about Sharon. I know who she is-Emerge alum and all-and she is delightful!

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    I am under no illusion that I am going to get "my choice" of candidate elected in CD 36. :)

    But as a resident of the district from most of my life ... I hope that we elected a candidate that represents, or at least listens to, all the different communities within the district. Because the issues and people are quite diverse in this district. (OHSU is very different from PSU ... which is very different than Arlington Heights ... which is very different from Old Towne ... which is very different than RiverPlace (My Neighborhood)... etc. I was always very happy/impressed to see Rep. Nolan take the time to come down to the coffee shops of our neighborhood to experience and understand the issues of our community. I hope that trend continues.

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    Dylan, I agree that Mary Nolan has been a great representative for HD-36. She has served as a great advocate and policy maker.

    Like many of the previous commentators, I agree that Sharon Meieran would be the right person to follow Mary Nolan. Sharon is good on family issues, education, medical rights and with her legal background will be able to create good policies around these issues.

    When I attended the Ways and Means hearings in Salem this past April, I was impressed to hear testimony quoting Sharon Meieran's findings about Oregonians' access to quality medical care. She has also written in the Oregonian about overuse of prescription medicine. Her work is already affecting the community.

    Sharon Meieran is smart and passionate while still being a people person. She will definitely be a great next Rep for HD-36.

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    Sharon Meireran is graduate of Emerge Oregon. I had the opportunity to interview her for placement in the elite class of Democratic women that are chosen to participate in deep level training to run for office. I ran into her again at the Emerging Leaders conference in Salem this Spring. She's got the chops combined with a warm personality. Hope you meet her soon Kari.

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    I want a labor candidate.

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    Jennifer Williamson is also considering running. She would be an excellent legislator and has the rare ability to fill the big shoes left behind by Mary Nolan. Jennifer is an Oregonian through and through, being born, raised and educated in Oregon. She practiced law before becoming an Assistant VP at PSU. She is also a long time education and health care advocate, chair of the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon and on the Board of the Susan G. Komen foundation of Oregon and SW Washington. I hope she runs!!!

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    Jennifer Williamson is also a 2009 graduate of Emerge Oregon!

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    I would agree with Shemia. Jennifer Williamson was part of the Emerge class that we were a part of several years ago. She is a bright young woman who understand the issues involved in public education, has an incredible drive and ambition to get things accomplished. And, she is a strong supporter of women's reproductive rights. I think she would be a terrific addition to the legislature.

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    Filling Mary Nolan's shoes will be a challenge. As a fellow member of of the Emerge Oregon class of 2009, I saw firsthand that Jennifer Williamson is just the person to take this on. Her technical command is impressive as is her broad experience with public policy issues and institution building.She is smart, articulate and a problem solver. Let's hope she can be persuaded to run for this seat.

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    I don't live in HD 36, but as we all know, our local state reps make important votes and develop bills that impact our entire state. Rep Nolan's service has been impressive and valuable. As an active volunteer, I appreciated the dozens of times I saw her out knocking on doors and calling voters on behalf of good candidates and causes.

    Jennifer Williamson has an impressive resume that speaks to the needs of Oregon. In addition to her experiences above, I understand she has a deep interest in improving our public safety practices, in regards to costs and better outcomes that serve our communities and budget better. Portland is fortunate to have some seriously smart women.

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    Portland suffers, IMHO, from not having enough legislators who understand the opportunities created by changes in the global economy. Most future global economic growth will be outside the US, much of it around the Pacific Rim. For our best economic future, Portland needs to increase its exports to those fast growing markets. This means, among other things, strengthening foreign languages programs in our public schools, especial more Mandarin and high school study aboard programs. Mary Nolan was not, as far as I know, supportive of these educational changes. I hope the next representative will be. How would Meieran and Williamson view opportunities in the global economy for Oregon? Would they, for example, and unlike the session that just ended, support shifting $30,000 in State School Funds as a pilot project to send five Oregon high school students to China for a school year?

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    As a woman, I don't think it is required to fill a seat formerly occupied by a woman, with another woman - just so a woman has the seat. There are OTHER very qualified people - who could fill that seat - who are NOT women. ...

    IMO - I don't think it should be a qualifier - to be a woman - just because a woman had that post.

    As I read through the posts however, I am left feeling that if one is not a woman, then hands off that seat.

    Ladies - is this REALLY the way we play?

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    I feel that at both the local and national level we need more centrist policy makers. I always hear that people's ideal candidates must support x or be against y. Quite frankly I want someone who isn't stuck in any particular view point and who can work across the isle to make things happen.

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    The new rep from 36 needs to develop progressive legislation that addresses the broader political climate that has become destructive to Oregon politics. For instance "ranked voting" or "instant run-off voting" would end winner take all and promote majority rule, ending the "spoiler" problem. We need to get out-of-state vested interests out of Oregon politics. A state bank as in North Dakota would protect Oregonians from predatory banks and open up credit to small business. The public option should be passed in Oregon.

    Our rep should be coordinating with other Democrats around the country to promote a progressive agenda in an anti-union, anti-mainstreet climate, particularly in Wisconsin and Ohio. We need to connect with the progressive grassroots movements that would end corporate domination of the national Democratic Party.

    Susan Rankin Zip 97221

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    Sharon Meieran was instrumental in passing the BPA ban on reusable containers last week! Multonomah county is the first county in the US to acknowledge BPA's dangers. I think this continues to prove the kind of leader Sharon would be, committed first hand experience with the issues we face today.

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