Central Oregon returns show strong leads in state Senate, sheriff and Bend city races

Deschutes County voters are poised to send a Democratic lawmaker to the Oregon Senate for the first time in 17 years.

Early returns for Senate District 27 showed Anthony Broadman in good shape to claim the open seat, leading Republican candidate Michael Summers.

Broadman, 46, is a lawyer for tribal governments who was elected to the Bend City Council in 2020. He also serves as chief judge of the Warm Springs Court of Appeals on the Warm Springs Reservation in Central Oregon.

He branded himself to voters as a pragmatist “who is a problem-solver and looks past partisan divides,” according to his campaign website.

On election night, Broadman said he was “thrilled” with the early results while at a party with other candidates backed by the Democratic Party.

“I think people want good practical government. They want us to show up and do our job, not focus on the culture wars and the politics,” he said.

Broadman added that his focus is “to make sure housing is affordable in this community, that we’re being climate and wildlife resilient, that our kids are safe in school, that our schools are well funded, and that the people who work in Central Oregon can live in the communities where they work.”

Senate District 27 has largely been a GOP stronghold for decades, but the district, including Bend, has become more politically mixed in recent years due to shifting voter demographics and the impacts of legislative redistricting in 2021.

Sen. Tim Knopp, a former leader of the Senate GOP, has held the seat since 2012 and is known for opposing abortion rights, walkouts over climate change legislation, and allying with social conservatives.

Knopp was among Republicans barred from seeking reelection this year because of his participation in the 2023 Capitol walkout.

The race to replace Knopp largely took on a moderate tone, with both Broadman and Summers focusing on similar issues like housing, public safety and education.

Summers, 42, the former chair of the Redmond School District board of directors, cast himself in campaign materials as “a trusted partner in troubling times.”

The contest was influenced by a flood of campaign spending as the Democratic party sought to flip the seat in its quest to secure supermajority control of the state Legislature.

State campaign finance reports show Broadman outraised Summers nearly 2-1, with $983,000 in contributions, compared to $573,000 given to Summers.

Vander Kamp pulls ahead in Deschutes Sheriff race

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp was solidly leading as of Tuesday night in a dramatic race to be the county’s next sheriff.

Early returns showed Vander Kamp defeating William Bailey, a captain of the agency’s patrol division.

The political race between these longtime colleagues sparked a bitter volley of accusations about lying, cheating and defamation, while the office Vander Kamp is now poised to lead has been wrapped up in a long list of personnel conflicts since 2015.

Early returns show a high number of local voters chose neither candidate, with returns as of 10 p.m. Tuesday night showing 17,190 ballots where people did not mark a choice for sheriff at all — far more than in any other contested political race in the county.

Under two-term Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson, leaders in the office have been frequently accused of overspending, retaliation and discrimination, costing the county millions in legal fees and payouts for employment-related lawsuits. Nelson is retiring at the end of the year.

Vander Kamp, 51, ran on a platform of changing the office culture and building fiscal responsibility.

Vander Kamp was endorsed by the Sheriff’s Office employees’ union and two out of three county commissioners.

He started with Deschutes County as a reserve deputy 20 years ago and is now a detective sergeant with the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team.

Vander Kamp faced criticism during the election after a court battle revealed that California police officials recommended firing him as a reserve officer in 1997, but Deschutes County officials say this information was not shared with the county when Vander Kamp restarted his career in Oregon.

Bend City Council

The Bend City Council looks to remain largely unchanged after this election, with one incumbent being voted out and a newcomer taking an open position.

Despite being a nonpartisan race, the council remains controlled entirely by Deschutes Democrats.

The party came under scrutiny after reports revealed council candidates dropping out of the race after not receiving a party endorsement.

Newcomer Gina Franzosa has won her uncontested race for the seat vacated by Broadman. Franzosa brings a pro-housing and pro-transit mindset to the council.

Incumbents Megan Perkins and Megan Norris were widely winning their races, prevailing over newcomer candidates Nick Cerveny and Jonathan Curtis — both farther to the right on the political spectrum than their opponents.

Norris secures a full term in the position 1 seat. She was appointed to the seat in 2023. Norris campaigned on affordable housing and is another pro-builder voice on the council.

In the only seat to change hands, Steve Platt was dominantly leading the race for a seat on the Bend City Council over two-term incumbent Barb Campbell and Chet Wamboldt.

While it’s a nonpartisan office, Platt was endorsed over Campbell by the Deschutes Democratic Party and benefited from an army of door-knocking volunteers and phone bankers.

Early returns showed Wamboldt, who was endorsed by the local Republican party, in second place, with Campbell in third place.

Deschutes County Commission to grow

Deschutes County Measure 9-173 is passing by a wide margin in Deschutes County. The ballot initiative’s passage means that starting in 2027, the size of the elected county commission will increase from three to five people. The ballot initiative, largely an effort made by local political activist and business owner John Heylin, succeeded after voters shot down previous attempts to increase the number of commissioners.

Heylin had the support of the sole Democrat on the commission, Phil Chang. Both say this isn’t about getting more Democrats onto the commission, but adding two more seats could create space for more Democrat-affiliated candidates to run and change the balance of power on the traditionally Republican-controlled board.