Friends,
There were a number of hotly contested races this cycle – here in Oregon and across the country. And we’ve just learned that our last race has finally been called!
With all the ballots now counted, Shannon Cockayne will be the newest member of the Independence City Council. Shannon won by 14 votes! Whew!
This means that our overall win-rate for November is 83% – and with Shannon winning her race, it means that Emerge Oregon women won 100% of our races for city councils:
CM Hall, Newport
Paige Hook, Stayton
Jules Walters, West Linn
Tonya Graham, Ashland
Beach Pace, Hillsboro
Olivia Alcaire, Hillsboro
Jackie Leung, Salem
Shannon Cockayne, Independence
Lacey Beaty, Beaverton (re-election)
Our big legislative win of the night was Rachel Prusak in House District 37, flipping the seat from red to blue. We want to acknowledge and thank all of the volunteers who made this win possible! You showed up and it paid off!
Eight other alumnae won their elections or re-elections for the state legislature:
Shemia Fagan, our second state senator to be elected
Andrea Salinas, who was appointed last year and ran for the first time
Teresa Alonso Leon, Karin Power, Julie Fahey, Jennifer Williamson, Alissa Keny-Guyer and Sheri Malstrom – all were re-elected.
Back to the local level:
Jennifer McGuirk, our first-ever candidate for auditor, won in Multnomah County.
Kathryn Harrington, the second woman to hold this position, will be chair of the Washington County Commissioners.
Heather Buch, our first alum to serve on the Lane County Commission.
Christine Lewis, a long-term board member of Emerge, won the District 2 spot on Metro Council.
Terri Preeg-Riggsby, re-elected to the West Multnomah Soil & Water District.
Ann Lininger, held onto her appointed position to the Clackamas County Circuit Court.
We also want to acknowledge those who didn’t win this time, but are pleased to report that these women are already thinking about their next runs for office!
To Jamie McLeod-Skinner, Pamela White, Amy Lowes, Shelaswau Crier and Darcy Long-Curtiss:
We are so honored to know you and to support you. We can’t wait to see what you do next in your communities – and when you run again!
Join me in thanking and congratulating all of our women for running and running hard – and to those who will soon be sworn in as newly elected officials!
Sincerely,
Jillian Schoene
Executive Director