OTLA Sidebar May/June 2020

5 • SIDEBAR • May–June 2020 T his spring’s election results were bittersweet for supporters of civil justice. OTLA PAC supported eight candidates who won contested prima- ries, but the ones we lost stung. The primary took place as the Oregon Legislature faces intense pres- sure to grant immunity to the medical industry and other corporate actors who injure and harm people during the pandemic. In the Senate Kate Lieber won impressively in SD 14 (Beaverton), defeating Dick Schouten. She will be the next State Senator replacing Mark Hass. She will be a strong leader on civil justice issues. Lieber is an attorney and community college professor who leads a non-prof- it working on children’s mental health issues. Deb Patterson won her primary in SD 10 (Marion/Polk Counties). She faces a very tough November election against incumbent Denyc Boles. Pat- terson is a minister and a mother of a special-needs daughter. She is a mem- ber of the caregivers’ union. Through her career as a health policy expert, she has seen the danger of immunity for medical providers and will be a strong champion on our issues. In the House We were very disappointed to see OTLA member and Guardian Christina Stephenson lose her race to Dr. Maxine Dexter. Stephenson Civil Justice Candidates Fare Well in Primaries But Pandemic Sweeps Two Doctors into Office with Weak Civil Justice Positions placed a strong second in this four-way race, running neck and neck in Wash- ington County but coming in a distant second in the Pearl and NW Portland. OTLA members were extremely gener- ous and this race was the top priority for our PAC in the primary. Similarly, Laurie Wimmer lost her race (43%-36% at press time) to Dr. Lisa Reynolds. Both Dexter and Reynolds received national media at- tention for running as doctors during a pandemic. The Willamette Week, in its Housing advocate Wlnsvey Campos won her primary race for HD 28 over two opponents. Firefighter Dacia Grayber beat her opponent handily in the Democratic primary for HD 35. Khanh Pham defeated two opponents in her primary race, winning nearly 87 percent of the vote. PRIMARIES continues on page 6