Oregon Lawmaker Seeks Third Term as Democrat

Cyrus Javadi won his Oregon House district twice as a Republican. He now asks voters to return him to Salem as a Democrat.

The switch makes his reelection bid a focal point in state politics. Javadi, 49, changed his party registration last year after voting for a transportation tax package. That move surprised many in the North Coast region.

Javadi provided the decisive vote for Gov. Tina Kotek’s plan to raise transportation taxes and fees. The package included a 6-cent increase in the gas tax, a measure many voters disliked. He said he needed new money to fix roads damaged by wind and rain in his district.

House District 32 runs from Astoria to Neskowin. It contains about 55,800 registered voters. There are roughly 2,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in the district. However, nonaffiliated voters outnumber both parties. Republicans took the seat in 2020 after Democrats held it for 16 years.

Javadi faces Max Sherman, a 69-year-old farmer and retired teacher from Hebo. Sherman works in agriculture, fishing, and forestry. He describes these industries as the economic engines of the North Coast. His campaign promotes cutting regulation and ending DEI initiatives. He also criticizes Javadi for changing his position. Sherman said, "A lot of people here have lost trust in him."

Both candidates identify funding for the Oregon Department of Transportation as a priority. Sherman positions himself as an anti-tax candidate. Javadi argues that the state needs more revenue to maintain infrastructure. Voters rejected the specific tax package in May by a large margin. Javadi says the vote showed voters want repairs without the gas tax increase.

Lisa Lamping, chair of the Clatsop County Republicans, helped elect Javadi in 2022 and 2024. She calls him an opportunist. She notes he was once opposed to taxes and abortion but is now endorsed by Planned Parenthood. She said local Republican reactions range from anger to relief. Betsy Johnson, a former Democratic legislator, has also endorsed Sherman in television ads.

The race is expensive. Both candidates have raised more than $1 million. This spending may make it the state’s costliest House contest this year. The funds allow them to buy ads in the Portland market. Sherman called the race a total toss-up that could be a nail-biter.

Javadi frames his party change as a strength. He grew up in a conservative Mormon family in Utah. He said he found his Republican colleagues' arguments less convincing over time. He supported a Democratic bill making it harder for school districts to ban books. He also backed a measure using taxes on healthcare providers to raise federal Medicaid funding. He was the only Republican to support Kotek’s $4.3 billion transportation plan.

Javadi writes lengthy posts on Substack to explain his changes. He uses artificial intelligence to edit and organize the text. He says he writes most of the content himself. He plans to continue knocking on doors until Election Day.