Recruiting 54 Candidates in a Historic Year of Turnover
Executive Director, FuturePAC (Oregon House Democrats)
A statewide candidate recruitment strategy that built the most diverse incoming class in Oregon House history and strengthened the Democratic pipeline after redistricting.
Challenge
The 2022 election cycle was one of the most challenging and consequential moments in Oregon’s modern political landscape. Redistricting completely reshaped the state’s legislative map, dozens of lawmakers retired or pursued new offices, and competitive districts shifted dramatically.
The caucus faced an urgent need for a statewide candidate recruitment strategy that could identify strong contenders in new districts, assess electoral viability, and ensure representation that reflected Oregon’s demographic and geographic diversity.
With so much volatility, FuturePAC needed a disciplined approach to political recruitment, rapid district analysis, and coordinated outreach to build a candidate bench capable of winning, and governing, in a newly redrawn Oregon.
Solution
As Executive Director of FuturePAC, I led the caucus’s statewide candidate recruitment, political strategy, and campaign planning operation. I directed district-level analysis for all 60 newly drawn House seats, developed structured recruitment plans for priority districts, and created the systems leadership relied on to evaluate competitiveness, demographic shifts, and emerging opportunities post-redistricting.
I led a proactive, relationship-driven recruitment strategy, partnering with community-based organizations such as PCUN, APANO, labor unions, advocacy groups, and local elected officials to identify talented emerging leaders. I coordinated targeted outreach by caucus leadership, developed candidate vetting and readiness frameworks, and oversaw all internal project-management systems that kept the multimonth recruitment effort aligned, strategic, and on schedule.
I also directed FuturePAC’s Filing Day communications strategy, shaping a public narrative centered on momentum, diversity, and statewide readiness, and positioning House Democrats as unified and competitive heading into the 2022 elections.
Results
Under my leadership, House Democrats successfully recruited 54 candidates statewide, contributing to 78 Democratic filings across 55 districts—one of the largest, strongest, and most strategically aligned slates in caucus history.
The 2022 candidate slate became the most diverse incoming class ever in the Oregon House, increasing representation across BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women, first-generation, and immigrant leaders. The results strengthened the long-term pipeline for emerging elected leaders, solidified competitive footing in newly redrawn districts, and demonstrated to the press and public that Oregon Democrats were organized, disciplined, and ready to contest races statewide.
This coordinated recruitment effort helped build the foundation for a decade of leadership, matching the right candidates with the right districts at exactly the right moment.
Media Coverage
Six seats, 45 candidates, lots of unknowns: Congressional primaries promise intrigue
Could this year’s class of first-term lawmakers be Oregon’s most effective?
Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek resigning to focus on governor’s race
Three leading Democratic legislators in Oregon decide against another term
FAQs
How do you design a recruitment strategy during major political transitions or redistricting?
I combine district-level data analysis with on-the-ground relationship building. Redistricting creates uncertainty, so I focus on identifying district needs, demographic shifts, and the qualities candidates need to be competitive. Then I match emerging leaders to the districts where they can authentically and effectively represent their communities.
What makes candidate recruitment successful beyond simply “filling a slate”?
Strong recruitment isn’t about volume, it’s about alignment. I look for candidates whose lived experiences reflect district needs, who can communicate effectively, who are prepared for the intensity of legislative campaigning, and most importantly reflect the values of the caucus. Recruitment is also about building the long-term talent pipeline, not just winning a single cycle.
What does effective public engagement look like during redistricting?
Public engagement is only useful if it’s structured, synthesized, and fed back into the map development process. We turned hundreds of individual comments into themes and actionable guidance for map drawers, then communicated those connections back to the public. When people see their input reflected in revisions, trust increases—even if they don’t agree with every outcome.
How do you ensure diversity, equity, and representation are not afterthoughts in political recruitment?
I start with trusted partnerships, organizations like PCUN, APANO, labor unions, and local leaders who know their communities deeply. Rather than parachuting in, we co-identify candidates, build leadership pathways, and remove structural barriers that have historically limited diverse participation. Representation is built through intentional strategy, not chance.
What’s your strategy for navigating high-stakes or contentious negotiations?
I use data-driven district analysis, scenario testing, and rapid-response memos to help leadership anticipate and respond to shifting dynamics. During late-night negotiations or quorum threats, my role is to translate political pressure into strategic options, what we can trade, what we must protect, and where compromise strengthens the overall map.
What role does data analysis play in choosing candidates for newly drawn districts?
A significant one. Redistricting changes voting patterns, turnout trends, and community boundaries. I analyze demographic data, past voting behavior, partisan lean, and key community anchors to understand district dynamics. This allows recruitment to be targeted, efficient, and reality-based.
How do you keep leadership aligned during a high-volume, fast-moving recruitment year?
Maps influence political stability, community representation, and the effectiveness of future legislatures. A well-designed redistricting strategy doesn’t just withstand court challenges, it creates a decade of predictable, durable representation that allows policymakers to focus on governing instead of litigating.
How does your redistricting experience translate to other policy or communications work?
Redistricting requires rapid synthesis of technical information, stakeholder management, public messaging under scrutiny, and alignment across large organizations—all skills that translate directly to crisis communications, government relations, and policy analysis. This work sharpens your ability to lead when the stakes are high and the timeline is tight.