When I decided to run for the Oregon House of Representatives, I knew I was opening myself up to criticism. That’s part of running for public office, and I accept it. I knew there would be people who disagreed with my positions, questioned my experience, or simply preferred someone else to represent them. That’s democracy, and I believe those conversations are important.
What I didn’t expect was just how unnecessarily mean-spirited some of those attacks would become. I understand that we disagree on certain issues, and that’s perfectly fine, people can call those out. But disagreement doesn’t require hostility, and criticism doesn’t require misrepresenting someone. When a person chooses to take that approach anyway, I think it tells us something about their character.
Over the past several weeks, Representative Dwayne Yunker has devoted a remarkable amount of attention to attacking me. His campaign has produced videos, advertisements, and social media posts that misrepresent my positions, assign beliefs to me that I don’t hold, and attempt to portray me as someone my friends, neighbors, and community don’t recognize.
I’ve tried to respond to those attacks with patience and transparency. I’ve answered questions, clarified my positions, and invited people to have conversations with me directly. I’ve even challenged Representative Yunker to sit down with me so voters can hear from both of us rather than relying on accusations made through social media.
But recently, something happened that made me think more deeply about the kind of politics we are allowing to become normal in our community.
Representative Yunker has now decided to attack my family.
I’m a candidate for public office. My children are not. I can speak about my family; it does not give him the right to. I would think that Rep. Yunker who wants to be a man who represents this community would understand that, but apparently, he doesn’t. But I am confident most people in this community do understand it.
What Happened to Dignity?
I’ve spent a lot of time during this campaign talking with people who have very different political beliefs from my own. Some are lifelong Republicans. Others are Democrats, independents, or people who are simply tired of politics altogether.
One thing I’ve noticed is that we often have much more in common than our political conversations might suggest.
Most of us want our children to grow up in a safe community. We want our neighbors to succeed. We believe in hard work, personal responsibility, and treating people with respect. We may disagree about how government should operate, but those disagreements don’t have to determine how we treat each other.
And treating people with dignity doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations, pretending disagreements don’t exist, or refusing to hold people accountable. It means recognizing that the person on the other side of an argument is still a human being who deserves respect.
This Isn’t an Isolated Incident
What troubles me about Representative Yunker’s behavior isn’t simply how he’s treated me. It’s that this appears to be a pattern in how he approaches people he disagrees with.
During his Republican primary, he publicly criticized his opponent’s religious beliefs. I found that deeply disappointing. Faith is personal, and people should be able to practice their religion without worrying that a political opponent will use it against them.
I’ve also watched him repeatedly direct his political messaging toward vulnerable members of our community, particularly people who already face significant challenges being heard and accepted. He often presents these attacks as standing up for his values, but I believe there’s a difference between defending your principles and making other people the targets of your political ambitions.
I don’t expect Representative Yunker and me to agree on everything. In fact, I know we won’t. But I do expect someone representing our community in Salem to demonstrate the maturity and judgment that public service requires.
That includes knowing when to disagree respectfully and when to leave someone’s family out of it.
We Should Be Willing to Call Bullying What It Is
I’ve thought carefully about whether to use the word bully to describe Representative Yunker’s behavior. It’s a strong word, and I don’t use it lightly.
But I also think we have a responsibility to recognize bullying when we see it.
When someone repeatedly targets another person with personal attacks, misrepresents what they believe, tries to embarrass or intimidate them, and then brings their family into the conflict, I don’t know what else to call it.
That’s bullying.
Just because Rep. Yunker is holding public office doesn’t make that behavior acceptable, and I won’t be intimidated into silence when I see it happening. I believe we have a responsibility to stand up for ourselves and others when they’re being mistreated, even when doing so is uncomfortable. After all, isn’t that what we teach our children? We teach them not to pick on people who are different, not to spread rumors, and not to use their words to hurt others. We encourage them to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s difficult. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect those same standards of dignity and respect from the people we elect to represent us.
I don’t want to live in a community where people are afraid to speak up, volunteer, run for office, or participate in public life because they’re worried about becoming the next target of someone’s political attacks.
Josephine County deserves better than that.
And I believe most of us know it.
Dignity Is Not Weakness
I chose to run for office because I care deeply about this community and believe we deserve representation that is focused on solving problems rather than creating division. Nothing that has happened during this campaign has changed that.
If anything, these experiences have reinforced why I decided to run in the first place.
I believe leadership requires more than the willingness to fight. It requires knowing what is worth fighting for, having the judgment to choose your words carefully, and understanding that the way you treat people matters just as much as the positions you take.
You can treat people with dignity and still be strong. You can be respectful and still be direct. You can stand firmly behind your beliefs without trying to tear someone else down.
That’s the kind of leadership I will bring to Salem.
And I want people to know that my commitment to treating others with dignity should never be mistaken for a willingness to be pushed around.
I’m not afraid of bullies. I won’t be intimidated by Representative Yunker, and I won’t stop standing up to behavior that I believe is wrong.
I will continue to challenge his record, question his decisions, and hold him accountable for how he represents our community. I’ll do that openly, honestly, and with the respect that I believe every person deserves, including him.
Because I don’t believe we have to sacrifice our own dignity to stand up against someone who fails to respect the dignity of others.
Thank You for Standing With Me
One of the most encouraging parts of this campaign has been the support I’ve received from people across the political spectrum, including those who don’t agree with me on every issue but understand politics in Josephine County is not working. To everyone who has encouraged me, stood up for me and my family, or simply taken the time to have a respectful conversation, thank you. Your support means more than you know. I’ll continue showing up, listening, and standing up for what I believe is right. I won’t always have all the answers, but I will always do my best to treat others with respect, even when that same respect isn’t extended to me. Because the kind of community we build depends on how we choose to treat one another.
And I believe Josephine County is a place where everyone’s dignity still matters.