3 days ago
Former state Rep. Tracy Cramer announces bid for Oregon Senate
Former state Rep. Tracy Cramer is making a new bid for the Oregon Legislature and announced her candidacy Aug. 11 for the Oregon State Senate.
Cramer, a Republican who represented House District 22 from 2023 to 2025, is running for Senate District 11, which outgoing Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, currently holds.
Thatcher's term ends in January 2027. She is disqualified from running for reelection after accruing more than 10 unexcused absences during the 2023 legislative walkout.
"Working families in Marion County need bold and proven leadership to effectively tackle the challenges they face,' Cramer said in a prepared statement. "Senate District 11 deserves a champion for these issues. I'm ready to stand up to the partisanship and special interests to make real progress. Enough with the broken promises. Oregon can't afford anything less.'
Cramer was the first Republican elected in HD22 in 18 years when she won the seat in 2022. She narrowly lost her reelection race to Rep. Lesly Muñoz, D-Woodburn.
Cramer was born and raised in Gervais and worked as a farmhand for her parents. She graduated from Gervais High School and Anthem College and worked as a dental assistant before serving as a state representative. Cramer and her husband now operate a construction consulting company.
She said she would focus on "pressing challenges" facing the district, which includes Brooks, Gervais, Keizer, Labish Village, north Salem and Woodburn. The district is younger, less affluent, and more diverse than most areas of Oregon, she said.
On her website, she lists tax relief, housing and homelessness, education, drug reform, and protecting rural communities as some of her priorities.
'A full quarter of our families rely on government assistance to put food on the table and far more than average can't afford medical insurance,' Cramer said.
She criticized "Portland-owned Democrats" and said district residents are tired of facing more taxes and paying more money while they are trying to make ends meet.
Thatcher endorsed Cramer in the campaign announcement, saying she never doubted Cramer's "unwavering commitment" to constituents and core principles after first meeting her.
'Her deep roots in our community, combined with her legislative experience and dedication to public service, make her uniquely qualified to be our next State Senator," Thatcher said.
Cramer's political action committee had received $485 in 2025 as of Aug. 11. Her campaign raised more than $1 million during her failed reelection campaign.
Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@ or on X @DianneLugo
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Former state Rep. Tracy Cramer announces bid for Oregon Senate
